Colorado Avalanche

NHL Fans Absorb Colorado Avalanche’s 2 Pre-Game Trades, 2nd-Period Rampage Of Rival Detroit Red Wings At Ball Arena

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Jeff Hawkins
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Sports Editor
5 min read
aves rout red wings 3 7 23 (1)

The Colorado Avalanche didn’t wait until Friday’s NHL trade deadline to make a statement.  

Before routing the Detroit Red Wings, 7-2, at Ball Arena on Wednesday night, the Avalanche executed two trades that look like they will bolster one of the league’s deepest rosters. 

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar registered his first career hat trick, Nathan MacKinnon collected one goal and three assists and Jean-Luc Foudy notched his first career goal to pace the Avalanche (39-20-5), who collected six unanswered markers. 

The suddenly struggling Red Wings (33-23-6)? 

They need a spark after being outscored 16-5 during their current three-game losing streak. What will Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman do to keep the franchise in line for their first trip to the playoffs since 2016?

X (Twitter) fans replied to the Red Wings and Avalanche renewing their old-school rivalry …

Remember when …

The Avalanche’s front office executed two pre-trade deadline acquisitions Wednesday, beginning with the NHL’s highest-scoring team adding more offense with Casey Mittlestadt, who had 14 goals among 47 points in 62 games with Sabres. The projected second-line center remains one goal and 12 points shy of matching career highs …

About an hour later, the Avalanche announced a replacement for the jettisoned Bowen Byram. The young team surrendered a first-round asset for defensive depth. Newcomer Sean Walker likely will skate on the third pairing …

Colorado’s busy executives made a few pre-game moves to fill out the roster …

If the projected, versatile lines meet their potential, the Avalanche appear primed for their second Stanley Cup run in three seasons …

Losers of three straight for the first time since before Christmas, the Red Wings may look different after Wednesday’s outing. What is the next step in the “Yzer-Plan?” …

Meeting with the media following Wednesday morning’s skate, J.T. Compher returned to Ball Arena for the first time since departing as a free agent. He was credited with one shot and a minus-2 rating …

Avalanche coach James Bednar earned a career milestone Wednesday night …

The Red Wings opened the scoring 1:48 into the first period on the power play. Forward Robby Fabbri deflected Alex DeBrincat’s slap-pass with his skate …

MacKinnon extended his point-scoring streak with a secondary assist on Makar’s first tally, which tied the game at 1-1 at 5:15 of the first period …

Trailing 2-1, MacKinnon started the Aves’ six-goal surge with his 40th of the season, a power-play tally at 17:07 of the second period …

Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland took time during the first intermission to discuss the team’s moves Wednesday …

Taking advantage of Red Wings defenseman skating out of position, Mikko Rantanen assisted on Artturi Lehkonen’s 10th goal of the season, which proved to be the game-winner …

Before the Avalanche turned the game into a rout, tempers on both sides flared, like games of old …

Capping a dominant second period, Makar scored third of the game and second of the frame, giving the Avalanche a commanding 5-2 advantage …

Connecting on the Avalanche’s sixth consecutive marker, Foudy capped the scoring at 15:25 of the third period …

Final score: Avalanche 7, Red Wings 2 …

Group effort. Statement made …

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Colorado Avalanche Detroit Red Wings NHL News and Rumors X (Twitter)
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Jeff Hawkins

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12 and 2023-24). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
View All Posts By Jeff Hawkins

Jeff Hawkins

Twitter Facebook Linkedin
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12 and 2023-24). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
View All Posts By Jeff Hawkins
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