Another beating in the last game sealed the tone for The Colorado Avalanche rookie squad as they rolled into the third and final Rookie Faceoff game with two losses. The team fell 4–3 against the Anaheim Ducks, followed by a 5–1 defeat against the Seattle Kraken.
Seeking a win before heading home, there were obvious struggles to overcome.
Their opponent, the San Jose Sharks, was running on a two-win momentum, and it showed. A 6–3 beating was evidence of work to be done.
The struggle in the last two games was discouraging for players and fans, despite not counting toward the overall season record.
The good
The young guns of the Avalanche team excelled defensively in the first period, with Matthew Stienburg and Benjamin Brunelle scoring a goal each.
A peek at the Stienburg goal… #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado https://t.co/KnFjq9j8V9
— Savvy Rafkin (@savvyrafkin) September 16, 2024
Colorado had several good entries into the zone and began consistently putting pucks on the net in the third period.
Keaton Mastrodonato was successful in lighting the lamp in the middle of the third frame, claiming the only Avalanche goal in the final 40 minutes.
The bad
The Sharks headed to the box several times with their aggressive play, leaving Colorado with the advantage. While capitalizing on the first power play, they fell short on four others and gave up a shorthanded goal.
San Jose forward Nolan Burke takes advantage of an unattended net in the second period, opening up scoring. The shorthanded goal and tied it up 2–2. Colorado goalie’s oversight marked the start of a challenging game.
Burke takes advantage of goalie error, tie game! pic.twitter.com/RJyeV9GnCE
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 16, 2024
The second period was a mess. Two consecutive penalties left the Avalanche with a 5-on-3 disadvantage. Two unanswered San Jose goals prior to the penalties rattled the rookies. The disconnect on the ice turned into another goal from the Sharks, making it three unanswered goals and putting them ahead 3–2.
The middle 20 became open season for the opposing roster. Another goal made it 4-2 with no signs of stopping.
Colorado also had a problem with spending time in the box. The Sharks quickly gained a two-man advantage as they swiftly followed one penalty with another. They capitalized twice.
A 6–3 final score was evidence of Colorado goalie Adam Scheel’s crumble under pressure. The rest of the team struggled to support him in the defensive zone, often leaving him the only one to protect the net.
Takeaways
Regardless of records during rookie showings, the most important takeaway is the experience and development of the young players as they move through the Avalanche system.
Identifying strengths and weaknesses of each individual player during game situations is invaluable. It became increasingly clear that there is a certain level of scramble once a Colorado opponent gets momentum.
The season is long, allowing ample room for rookie growth. The Avalanche preseason debut is on Sept. 23 against the Dallas Stars.