Avalanche Buries Sharks; Win 8th Straight
By this point in the NHL season, most figured Colorado would be thankful North American leagues don't have relegation battles.
Learned minds were predicting them to be the NHL Central's doormat.
Instead, that's where the aging Chicago Blackhawks are at the moment.
The surprising Avalanche, meanwhile, are currently in the mix for a playoff spot, making the Central Division the NHL's version of the Upside Down.
That's because they're on a surge that has now reached eight straight victories, raising their point total to 53 on a 25-16-3 record.
It's good enough at the just-past-halfway point to slot them in the West's second wild card position, one win better than the slumping Los Angeles Kings.
The 'Lanche rang up their latest victory by jumping out to a large lead against San José and then holding on to claim a 5-3 result:
Serving up a blend of puck luck and pure talent is usually what sends teams on extended highs.
Colorado's actually been on a roll longer than this current skein. Since Sat 9 Dec, they've gone13-3-1 with only one of those losses coming by more than one goal.
Nate McKinnon's two goals in this one is a continuation of his hot season to date. Dude was the NHL's First Star of the Month in November, and here's why:
Stellar goaltending by Jonathan Bernier has also been serving the club well on both ends of the ice.
Watch him spring McKinnon with an incredible save in their 3-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Mon 15 Jan:
Bernier's been doing that all season, turning what everyone thought was a weak link in Colorado's game into one of its mainstays.
Here he is on October, making believers outta the New Jersey Devils:
The Avalanche hasn't made the playoffs since 2014, when they fell in the first round.
It'd thus be a new experience for most of this season's squad, as will the second-half scramble to actually get there.
If they can stay healthy and avoid holding their sticks too tight the rest of the way, dudes have a legitimate shot.