If Ivan Prosvetov hoists a Stanley Cup in Burgundy & Blue, I’ll shave my head. And my chest. Not necessarily in that order.
“We’ll see, we’ll talk about that,” coach Jared Bednar told reporters Saturday when asked about his goaltending options after the Avalanche’s hair-pulling, maddening 8-4 matinee loss to the Florida Panthers, the defending Cup runners-up.
“We’re in a stretch (where) there (are) no easy games coming up. There (are) no easy games, period. But especially the stretch we’re in, like that’s only two (down) of the top opponents we’re going to face. We’ve got another four straight with the top opponents of the league. So (Alexandar Georgiev’s) played nine in a row, played in (Saturday’s) game, (which) makes it 10. So we’ll see.”
We’ve seen enough, Coach.
Bednar’s Avs have now given up at least eight goals in a home game twice since Nov. 11. That’s already as many times as an opponent put up eight on Colorado at Ball Arena over the previous 14 seasons combined.
In other words, they’re a goalie away. Probably two, if we’re being honest.
Your move, Joe Sakic. The Avs, at present, have the look of half a contender, and the half that’s pulling the weight — that’s scoring in bunches — isn’t sustainable over a long, grueling postseason grind.