Positives in Game 2 Can Help Avalanche in Crucial Game 3

The Colorado Avalanche is down 2-0 in its best-of-seven, second-round series, but the two defeats to the Dallas Stars have come in very different ways.
Head Jared Bednar said the team didn't give itself a chance in the Game 1 loss, and Game 2 started off well before the squad got discouraged when the Stars scored four times in a span of 10 minutes, with the last two tallies coming from fortunate bounces.
Bednar made note that there are no moral victories at this point of the season for having a solid first half of a game, but Colorado's play in the first 29 minutes against Dallas where it led 2-0 and had a 26-13 edge in shots is promising for the next contest. The Avs play an important Game 3 against the Stars on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. MT at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

"We were certainly more competitive and engaged in the game in Game 2," Bednar said. "To be honest with you, I really liked our game going through 30 minutes and then I think we got a bit discouraged. There are a couple things tactically that we talked to our team about, trying to get off the perimeter in the offensive zone, making more of an impact in the middle of the ice… We have to roll up our sleeves a little bit as a group and get to the interior of the ice and make it a little more difficult to defend us."
The Stars have played solid defensively over the first two outings of the conference semifinals, especially in the third period where they've held onto leads and not allowed the Avs to stage a comeback. Colorado outshot Dallas 9-3 in the final frame on Monday, but too many of those pucks came from the outside with no chance at a rebound.

The Avalanche certainly has respect for the Stars, but the players say a lot of the issues have been their own doing. They have gotten away from their game at times and have yet to play their best hockey in the series.
"I think you saw it in the first period when we're playing our game. We're playing with speed, we're going to get our chances, we're going to limit theirs, but it's got to be 60 minutes, no matter what happens in the game," said forward J.T. Compher. "Whether they get a goal on their power play or our power play or a bad break or whatever it is. It's 60 minutes doing it the right way, and that's how you win playoff games. Even if it takes more than 60, it's got to be consistently there and nothing can bother you."
Monday's contest certainly tested the Avalanche, as the team had a 2-0 lead midway through the second period before the Stars got a 5-on-3 man advantage and went on to tally twice on the power play in a matter of 43 seconds to even the score.

Defenseman Ryan Graves said the key for the club is to stay focused during those tough times and continue to stick with the process.
"I think when we get down, it's not about getting that goal back in the next two minutes," he said. "We just need to keep plugging away the right way and just believing that things will work for us."
The Avs held an optional practice on Tuesday, and Bednar said the club had meetings to discuss Wednesday's matchup and how to breakthrough against Dallas. The takeaway from the Colorado coach was that it's not going to be easy, but he has trust in his squad to pull it off.
"I still believe in this team. I think we're going to come out, we're going to play hard, we're going to do all of the right things," Bednar said. "Again, you're playing a real good team in Dallas. It doesn't guarantee a victory, but I believe in our guys, and I believe we're going to go out and get the job done."

LINEUP NOTES

Bednar said he is considering changing up his personnel for Game 3, including possibly giving younger players a chance at playing, but he will likely stay with the same lineup.
"Right now we're kind of in this must-win situation, and I think my gut will be to rely on our veterans and the guys that have gotten us to this point," Bednar said.
When it comes to the top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, Bednar noted that his staff has talked about moving Landeskog off that trio to jump start another line, much like he did several times throughout the season. However, he might not mess with a good thing as the that line has factored in on all of the Avalanche's goals scored in the series versus Dallas
"If we had some other guys going a bit better than they are now, it would be easier to try someone up there with MacK and Mikko," Bednar said. "To be honest, the last few games we just haven't been as good with some of the other guys that we would consider playing with MacK and Mikko. So we kind of left it alone, but it's certainly something that we've been talking about and looking at for Game 3."

INJURY UPDATE

Bednar reiterated during Tuesday's media availability that both goaltender Philipp Grubauer and defenseman Erik Johnson are out indefinitely with injuries, and he doesn't know if either player will be able to return later during the team's playoff run.
"It's not in the near future that they will be back," he said.
As for Matt Calvert, who has missed the past two contests, Bednar said the forward is still day-to-day and might be available for Game 3.
"We'll check in with the trainers later today and again tomorrow morning and make a decision for the game," Bednar said. "Game-time [decision] if it comes to that, if he's still in question."