(Chris Humphreys – USA Today Sports)
13.4 seconds of regulation was all it took for the Avalanche to either survive or take the first loss of the Western Conference quarterfinals last night. They had to find a way to tie the game and take it to overtime. Somehow and someway, they did when Paul Stastny tied it. It was only fitting he scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
The Avalanche celebrating a 5-4 comeback playoff victory over the Wild was a fabric of what they were all about this season, which is a team that is even-kneel and resilient. It also showed how well they are coached. When thinking about it, this comeback should have been expected. Nothing seems impossible.
The third period was a challenge for the Avs. Ryan Suter and the Wild defense were wearing the Avalanche down in that period, and Ilya Bryzgalov was making saves whenever the Avalanche peppered shots at his direction.
It could have been easy for the Avalanche to be frustrated and give in, but instead, they kept plugging away. They needed a goal midway in the third period to make it happen. One goal can change everything around, and they received it from Jamie McGinn to cut the Avalanche’s deficit to 4-3.
The Avalanche knew they were in business after that goal. They could tie it with the extra skater on the ice with the clock ticking in regulation. They liked their chances.
First-year Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy knew he had to make it happen in putting his guys in a position to succeed. Rather than wait for two minutes to go, he took Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov out and put an extra skater on with three minutes to go. It was risky, but in Roy’s world, safe is death. He has to create offense as much as he can in giving his team a chance.
Roy did his part, but the players needed to get it done. They had three minutes. Bryzgalov continue to make saves after saves as the Avs were putting the pressure on.
13.4 seconds was ticking until Stastny put the puck past the Wild goaltender. Call it destiny. Call it luck. Call it skill. Call it hard work. All these words fit in how the Avalanche tied it here.
It speaks of the character and talent of this team to not panic with a 4-2 deficit. These guys know what to do. They are disciplined enough to not let a deficit like that affect them. There was this strong belief that they were going to find a way to make it happen. When they tied it, it was a matter of time until they won the game. They did not work hard to tie it and to lose.
That’s how a Stanley Cup team is built. It’s the know-how and belief that they will find a way to score or make a comeback. It’s nights like last night that show the Avalanche are a bonafide Stanley Cup contender.
This comeback was nothing for the Avalanche. They have had comebacks like last night during the regular season. When they know how to get it done consistently, they expect to get it done.
Avalanche fans may be amazed at what their team did last night, but not the players and coaching staff.
This game should serve the Avalanche well in this series and maybe in the next round. They know they can survive a tough challenge against the Wild the rest of the series. They also figure they can be better as the series goes on.
It’s easy to say the Avalanche appeared nervous. That’s the type of lazy analysis folks like to say when things don’t go the Avalanche’s way. Rather that say that, let’s give the Wild credit for having a good game plan on defense to frustrate the guys. The Avalanche’s first round playoff opponent is big, physical and experienced.
The Avalanche understood this matchup with the Wild was not going to be easy. That’s where coaching comes into play. Roy and his coaches had them ready for the challenge the Wild presented itself in this series, and it showed by the way the Avalanche preserved.
From watching Gabriel Landeskog score the first goal of the game to Stastny tie it and win it, it shows the Avalanche have young players that are wise beyond their age. They did not let the moment became big for them.
Playoff wins get magnified by outsiders that are not in the Avalanche’s circle. They make the moment bigger than it is. That’s why the comeback win is this much special.
For the Avalanche, it’s just another day in the office.
Comeback wins to them is not a big deal.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
