(Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports)
The great coaches use the media to get their point across, and that’s what Avalanche coach Patrick Roy did on Friday when he told the media that his team should put their marbles on the table in the best-of-three Western Conference quarterfinals against the Wild.
Nathan MacKinnon put his marbles on the table by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime last night in the Avalanche’s 4-3 Game 5 victory over the Wild. It was fitting that he did since he has had flair for the dramatic in the Avalanche’s three victories in the first round series. He is the youngest player in Stanley Cup Playoff history to score an OT goal since Don Gallagher did it for the Bruins in 1943.
It’s going to get to the point that we expect MacKinnon to score game-winning playoff goals or tie the game with a goal. The more a player does it, the more it becomes a skill.
MacKinnon tied the game up at 1 in Game 2, and that gave the Avalanche momentum the rest of the way in setting the stage to a 4-2 victory over the Wild. Now, he does it again by scoring the game-winning goal in last night’s game. Would it surprise anyone if he scored the game-winning goal in the Wild’s elimination game on Monday night?
It wasn’t surprising he shot the puck in overtime. Everyone knows this is his time to score. He is the right guy at the right spot.
For good measure, the Avalanche phenom set up the game-tying goal at 4 and game-winning goal in Game 1. He even had an assist that tied the game at 2 in that game. In Game 2, he set up the Avalanche’s other three goals after scoring a goal that tied the game.
The Avs have a special player in their rookie. He has it. He does things on the ice that no one can teach when it comes to being a clutch player. It’s like watching Derek Jeter do his postseason thing in his prime, which he is clutch. Great players are more defined for what they do in the postseason, and performing in the postseason in hockey is not an easy thing to do.
That’s a great thing for the Avalanche to have. For them to win the Stanley Cup, they need a player that knows how to play well in the postseason. Based on small sample size, they may have gotten that guy in MacKinnon.
If their center keeps this pace, the Avalanche will win plenty of Stanley Cups in their future. To win a championship, they need a guy who knows how to rise to the occasion. The Blackhawks have that in Jonathan Toews, and he did it again in Game 5 when he scored the game-winning overtime goal in the Blackhawks’ 3-2 victory over the Blues Friday night.
Watching MacKinnon becoming a star before our own eyes is what made this series great. That’s the one thing we can take out of the Avalanche’s postseason this year. This should bode well for the next ten years.
The Avalanche rookie has adapted to the game well. He has a great hockey IQ. He knows what to do with the puck when it comes to being a facilitator and being in a position to score. He knows how to make dazzling plays when he has the puck. Watching him has become worthy of the price of admission.
What’s amazing is that he is an 18-year-old kid playing like he is 25 years old at his prime. He is playing like he knows the game already. He is also starting to play like a leader when it comes to being assertive on the ice and telling players to be at the right spot when he passes the puck to them. These attributes are what we call a maturation of a player.
Even at his best, he always seeks knowledge from his coaches on how to be better at his craft. It’s that drive that will make him an excellent player.
It wasn’t surprising he shot the puck in overtime. Everyone knows this is his time to score. He is the right guy at the right spot.
Last summer’s No. 1 2013 overall draft pick has had quite a series by having two goals and eight assists in five postseason contests. Still, people want to see more. They know he can do more. He has set a high standard of excellence in such a short time.
When watching MacKinnon, one can write a book about his postseason success this year. He is creating moments one chapter at a time.
We have seen the growth and development of a rookie at a rapid pace. Guys like him don’t come often. That’s why he is being appreciated for what he has done this season and postseason.
MacKinnon is going places. There’s more where it came from. It won’t be long until he is one of the top 10 players in hockey.
It won’t be long until he becomes the second popular athlete in Denver.
He might just be right now with the way he is going in the playoffs.
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.
