DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche entered the season as a serious Stanley Cup contender. Three games into the campaign they are winless and searching for answers.
Colorado dropped to 0-3 after a 6-2 home loss to the New York Islanders on Monday night to extend its early-season funk. The Avalanche have allowed 20 goals – 17 with a goaltender between the pipes – despite having Cale Makar and reigning league MVP Nathan MacKinnon on the roster.
Colorado has been through tough stretches before. They began 2021-22 losing three of the first four before going on to win the Stanley Cup, but it’s not a comfort to coach Jared Bednar.
“Yeah, every year, multiple times,” Bednar said. “I just don’t like it because it’s at the start of the year.”
The first two losses this year – 8-4 at Vegas and 6-4 against Columbus on Saturday night – were due in large part to poor goaltending. Alexandar Georgiev, who led the NHL with 38 wins last season, was pulled from both losses and has allowed eight goals on 25 shots through the first two games.
He was better against New York despite allowing five goals, but it was the play in front of Georgiev that was the issue Monday night.
“I thought that was the worst defensive game of the three by a mile,” Bednar said. “It looked like we were cheating the game. If you’re going to cheat it for offense, then things aren’t going to look good defensively.”
Makar, a former Norris Trophy winner, was minus three and committed a turnover that led to a short-handed goal and a 4-1 lead for the Islanders.
“I'm just not moving my feet, not playing my game,” Makar said. “I’m hard on myself, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to be better for these guys. It’s definitely a lot closer game if I don’t play tonight.”
Colorado is missing four of its top-six forwards and played Monday without Makar’s partner, Devon Toews. Gabe Landeskog (knee), Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) and Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) have yet to play this season, and Jonathan Drouin has been out since the season opener with an upper-body injury that could keep him out for weeks.
The injuries have forced Bednar to play several rookies and other young players. Calum Ritchie, a 19-year-old winger, scored his first NHL goal on Monday night but didn’t do much else.
The schedule doesn’t get easier, but at least the Avalanche will be at home. Colorado hosts Boston and Anaheim on Wednesday and Friday with an opportunity to halt its losing skid.
“Just try to find a way, maybe, to simplify the game a little bit and just not try too hard ... because it seems like it’s not working for us now,” Mikko Rantanen said.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson, left, gets tangled up with New York Islanders right wing Maxim Tsyplakov in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev looks to make a save in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, back, looks on from the team box in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson exited the team bus then beamed as he strolled back into Chase Center on Tuesday night, greeted by some 400 cheering Warriors employees who lined up along his path to the Dallas locker room to show their love and appreciation for the former Golden State star.
They sported “Captain Klay” hats, the giveaway for all fans on a celebratory night remembering Thompson's 13 years with the franchise, two of those spent injured, and four championships he helped win here.
“I guess it’s a good thing for the fans, so kudos to them,” Thompson said in looking ahead to the game.
“Be good to see people that you grinded with, obviously. To me, it’s just another regular-season game in November. Obviously, there’s bigger implications with the NBA Cup. So that’s what’s on our mind, and my mind, is to win that because I haven’t been a part of it yet. I know it’s young, but it’ll be fun to play for that title.”
The Warriors invited all their employees to be part of the welcoming committee for Thompson, who joined Dallas in July on a three-year, $50 million contract. Thompson, 34, missed more than 2 1/2 years — the entire 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons — recovering from surgeries on his left knee and right Achilles tendon before making his comeback in January 2022.
Thompson has tried to downplay the magnitude of this moment, though it's sure to be emotional for everybody involved.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and basketball is basketball,” Thompson said.
Golden State planned a “Salute Captain Klay” ceremony before tipoff to pay tribute to Thompson’s contributions to the franchise and his tradition of boating across the bay to games.
“This is all staff. It's unbelievable,” Warriors President and COO Brandon Schneider said. “What Klay has meant to our organization and to all of us the last 13 years, the team accomplishments, individual accomplishments, who he is as a person, what he's done in the community, it is a special night.”
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Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against Utah Jazz forward's Darius Bazley (21) and Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, File)
FILE - Golden State Warriors guards Klay Thompson, left, and Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green, right, laugh while being interviewed, Nov. 30, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, foreground left, is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)