Lackluster Power Play Behind Recent Avalanche Struggles

At 17.9 percent, the Colorado Avalanche's power play is ranked 15th overall, right in the middle of the league.

So, why is the power play a problem?

It's a problem because that percentile is a number inflated by Colorado's great power play success earlier in the season. Lately, there hasn't been a power play that's been worse.

Over the past 20 games, Colorado has had 88 power play opportunities and only capitalized on 12 of them, or 13.6 percent. The worst power play in the league (Pittsburgh, surprisingly) is at 14.4 percent.

The Avalanche obviously have some fire power—their 131 goals rank seventh in the NHL—but the problem doesn't come down to fire power, but rather being too cute on the power play.

Every time the Avalanche get it in the zone, every player has the same goal in mind: pass.

Paul Stastny in particular, who only has three power play goals and nine total goals on the season, seems too focused on forcing the puck to the point man and has subsequently passed up golden shooting chances.

This wouldn't be a problem if Colorado still had a shot like Rob Blake's on the point, but Colorado's top unit consists of Kyle Quincey (one power play goal) and Wojtek Wolski (a forward) manning the blue line. John-Michael Liles, usually Colorado's power play quarterback, has been in-effective most of the season and has been a healthy scratch of late.

Though this is the case, it's unlikely Colorado will try to solve the problem this season, given they have several top notch offensive defensemen, such as Kevin Shattenkirk and Stefan Elliot, in the system and nine defensemen currently on the roster.

And the power play will continue to slide.