Avs Show Scoring Depth in Game 2 Win

Throughout the Phase 3 Training Camp in July, the Colorado Avalanche players raved about their depth, a trait that became even clearer when the team returned to the ice at full health after the long pause. Nearly every player spoke of his confidence in all four lines' ability to contribute on offense after each of those practices at Pepsi Center and for good reason.

The advantage of a deep roster was reflected in a gritty 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Friday in Game 2 of the first round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Locked in a tight battle with Arizona playing strong defense, Colorado received its last two goals from players that started the day on the third line. Tyson Jost scored to give the Avs a 2-1 lead in the second period and then Andre Burakovsky netted the winner with 2:53 left in the game, rifling a puck into a wide-open net after it had initially ricocheted off a skate of a Coyotes player.

Jost's marker came from a redirection of Cale Makar's point shot, which looked like it was going wide before the forward got his stick on the flying puck and sent it into the net.

"E.J. (Erik Johnson) and Cale made a great play," Jost said of his tally. "I think Cale saw me in front and I was alone so I presented my stick, and he made a great shot and I was lucky to get a stick on it."

Added Burakovsky on his goal: "It's important to get pucks to the net. Sometimes it's going to bounce down to you and that's what happened tonight. I wasn't fully prepared on that, but I got lucky. I think it's really important to get goals like that at the end. They were pressuring us a lot and to take advantage of it, and it kind of kill their buzz a little bit and then [we] got the game."

The Avs conceded afterward that this wasn't their most technically-sound game, a credit to the Coyotes' physicality and response from being shut out on Wednesday. Arizona came out hard from the opening faceoff and made it difficult when Colorado had the puck.

But much like in the 3-0 win in Game 1, the Avalanche kept grinding and found ways to create opportunities. And when those chances came, the players stepped up.

"It's awesome," said Nathan MacKinnon, who scored the game's first goal and finished with 21:30 of ice time. "I think a couple of years ago when we played like that, we might lose 5-2, 6-2, but we have such a good team that we can find a way.

"I think it's such a fun team to be a part of that no one feels like they really have to dominate. We're all trying to chip in and (general manager) Joe (Sakic) has done a great job bringing guys in, making trades to make us such a deep team. We're ready for a long run and to do that we need all four lines to be going, and they were tonight."

Burakovsky recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in the round robin before scoring his first goal of this series in Game 2.

Jost, meanwhile, was told to "be ready" to play after Thursday's optional practice, uncertain of whether he would get the call with Joonas Donskoi's availability questionable. Donskoi ended up missing Friday contest (unfit to play), and Jost's performance might have earned him more ice time in the future.

"He's added to his toolbox and found different ways to contribute for us," Bednar said of Jost. "He's out of the lineup, he comes in tonight, he's killing penalties, he's hard on pucks in the offensive zone, he goes to the net and gets a deflection goal. Just finding a way to contribute and help our team win. We're getting that from a lot of players.

"We're going to need our depth, and [Jost is] a guy who's easy to put back in the lineup or keep in the lineup, and he possibly could have been in today even without Donskoi being out just because I've loved what he's doing in the off days and his work ethic. He's shown that he wants to be in there and do whatever he can to help our team win, so great character."