The Colorado Avalanche would have come very close to going 2-0 down to Seattle in their series against the Kraken. Head coach Jared Bednar wasn’t too happy with his side’s performance early in the game either.
After losing the first game, there was some pressure on the shoulders of the reigning Stanley Cup winners. The “Avs” lost their identity in the process, leaving them 2-0 down after a commitment on Thursday evening.
Also read: The Avalanche reacts to the Kraken
“First period was awful, okay? I believed that after Game 1 we would be focused and ready to play first. I think we held onto our stick. Nobody wanted the puck. No one wanted to skate with the disc. We saw snippets of that in Game 1, so for me it’s the worst time we’ve played in the playoffs so far,” Bednar said at a press conference, which certainly raised his voice during the first break in the dressing room.
Artturi Lehkonen, who often improved his game in the playoffs, stood out with two points and scored a goal that started the second-half comeback. This is the decisive moment for striker Evan Rodrigues, as Valeri Nichushkin also scored 48 seconds after the Finn.
“Goals helped, of course, but I think we simplified our game. We were under pressure and when we scored, we took a deep breath, quickly scored another goal and then never looked back. We stood out from the crowd inspired and started playing easier,” said Rodrigues.
Bednar, on the other hand, had a pretty succinct message to convey.
“If that fails, start over. We talked about it and the guys did a good job,” he said.
In trust
For the Kraken, however, it’s not the end of the world. Losing an advantage can be frustrating, but the main objective of getting a win on the opposing field has been achieved.
“The series is 1-1, we’re going home,” said driver Dave Hakstol. We know what we are worth and we are. We feel very comfortable there. We came here and won. We had to do it.”
The next two games will be played at the Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday and Monday and will be broadcast on TVA Sports.