TORONTO — The Avalanche decided to suppress their injury-induced pent-up frustration by suppressing shots.
“We’re just kind of used to it now,” Mikko Rantanen said when asked about the latest blow: Artturi Lehkonen’s broken finger.
If it sounds like he’s being defensive, it’s because the Avs are: Lights-out defending turns out to be the best coping mechanism.
A team that was at a defensive nadir one week ago is suddenly playing its best defense of the season. Colorado (38-22-6) is averaging 19 shots allowed in the last three games and 20.2 in the last five.
Starting late in the second period vs. Arizona last Saturday, the Avalanche entered an ongoing stretch in which they’ve allowed 37 shots on goal in 148 minutes of game time. That’s one shot for Alexandar Georgiev to handle every four minutes. Colorado’s goalie relishes being in the thick of the action, but he’s not protesting the paid time off.
“We play so much in the offensive zone that it definitely helps a lot,” he said.
Jared Bednar even said it helps him feel more comfortable continuing to start Georgiev every two days while Pavel Francouz remains injured.
Three of the last five games could be discounted as a product of Colorado’s dismal opponents. San Jose barely reached double-digit shots at even strength. The Coyotes stopped playing offense for the entire third period — in a tie game. The Canadiens were done as soon as they allowed four Avalanche goals by first intermission.
But Wednesday’s 2-1 shootout win in Toronto was different. The Maple Leafs are a top-10 scoring offense and a top-two power play in the league. They went 0-for-3 with the man advantage and finished with 18 shots, barely more than half their season average of 32.2.
“A lot of it would come back to the mobility of their defense. They’re just up on top of you,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “They’re uptight. They recover well. You feel like you’re in and you’re going to get some space, and then they close the space.”
Cale Makar, after averaging 23:45 in ice time his last 12 games, returned to Norris Trophy form in Toronto while surpassing the 30-minute mark. Earlier this season, Bruce Boudreau described Makar to The Post as a wide receiver who runs perfect routes — a fitting comparison for a defenseman best known for his offensive prowess.
But defending league MVP Auston Matthews might have had a more suitable classification for Makar’s 2022-23 season in particular: “He’s like a free safety, almost,” the Maple Leafs star said.
Makar dictated play at 5-on-5, power play and penalty kill. Devon Toews made a diving play with his stick in overtime, emblematic of his overlooked motor and sturdiness. The depth defensemen stepped up with Josh Manson and Erik Johnson missing from the lineup.
Avalanche players said they didn’t make any system or tactical changes after the recent slump that featured back-to-back games with seven goals allowed. It was a matter of effort and energy. Bo Byram said “we weren’t too happy with what we were doing on the defensive side of the puck” during the losing streak, so the defensive corps addressed the problem.
But Lehkonen’s injury came with extra sting. His forechecking game is arguably the toughest among Colorado’s forwards. He flies whenever he needs to defend. Now he’s likely out four-to-six weeks. “It’s been the whole year,” Rantanen shrugged. “We’ve been missing guys. And now again, we’re missing a full line, basically. Five guys out.”
That attitude is also a microcosm, with Lehkonen’s injury standing in for the biggest lesson this season has taught the Avs. Nathan MacKinnon summed it up best.
“You get into a lull, and I think we were kind of waiting for help a little bit, and it wasn’t coming,” he said Tuesday. “So kind of just a good experience. It’s not coming now, either.”
