Avalanche Analysis: Power Play Will Bring Down Colorado

On wind-swept, snow-covered mountains across the globe, there's nothing more dangerous than an avalanche, roaring down the side of a rocky slope at break-neck speeds, enveloping and destroying everything in its path.

If only the Colorado Avalanche had such strength on the ice.

As it is, the Avs are on a five-game winning streak, with the Anaheim Ducks the latest team to fall to Colorado.  Goalie Jose Theodore is on a streak unseen since his days in the bleu, blanc et rouge of the Montreal Canadiens, his latest effort netting him his second shutout of the season, the 25th of his career. 

The return of Peter Forsberg also seems to be helping the team which has gone 5-0 since his return to the ice.  Even the loss of Ryan Smyth and Marek Svatos to injury has certainly not dampened the spirits of this playoff contender. 

Dig a little deeper, though, and you find there's a problem festering just under the surface that, for the time being, has been kept at bay.  If you watched Colorado's game against the Ducks you may have spotted it, perhaps dismissing it as only a minor problem, easily forgotten since the Avs won the game anyway. 

The festering problem is the Avs power play and, as the playoffs loom ever closer, it will be their downfall.

Colorado sits seventh in the Western Conference, fending off the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators while attacking the Minnesota Wild and Anaheim as the jockeying for a better position in the final standings continues. 

Now is the time for teams to sink or swim and, so far, Colorado has been treading water with the best of them.  But when you fail to capitalize on your chances, it's only a matter of time before you drown.  

Take a look at the Anaheim match-up.  The Ducks were fingered for seven penalties, four in the first period alone, including a four-minute stint in the penalty box for Chris Pronger who was saddled with a hooking and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. 

On all seven chances, the Avs appeared disorganized, with only a couple of tic-tac-toe passes that resulted in no gain because not one Avs player perched himself in front of the net to either tip in a shot or take a stab at a rebound.  

It was the same the other night against Vancouver.  Seven penalties and only one goal to show for it, a John-Michael Liles slapshot beating Roberto Luongo to find the mesh. 

Colorado went 0-for-3 against the Los Angeles Kings, 0-for-6 against the Canucks last Wednesday and 2-for-7 against the Calgary Flames last Tuesday, trade-deadline day.  During its five game winning streak, the Avs have gone 3-for-30 on the power-play.  

If the Avalanche even hope to catch a whiff of champagne in Lord Stanley's Cup, its power play must improve.  In comparison, take a look at Montreal's game in Phoenix Thursday night.  The Canadiens got off to a terrible start, coach Guy Carbonneau even  admitting they stole the win from the jaws of the Coyotes.  How did they do it? 

The Habs made the most of their chances, netting two power-play goals on their way to a fortunate 4-2 victory.  When you have a plan of attack on the power play, like the Canadiens have, you notch the goals that get you the wins. The Detroit Red Wings are much the same, trying hard to get a goal when their opponents are short-handed. 

A solid power-play plan earns you the goals you need, no matter how well you play the rest of the game.  In a playoff scenario it's that kind of game plan, coupled with solid gameplay up front, that gets you to the next round.  The Avs have no such plan. 

In nature, nothing can stop an avalanche.  On the ice, disorganization and failing to capitalize on chances are the only unstoppable forces and, in the end, it's what will bury Colorado this season.