Let’s just do this in bullet-point form...
--- The Avs lost 5-0 to the Wild last night in Minnesota. They were outshot 48-16. This is what the game looked like in Corsi chart form:
--- If you’re not familiar with Corsi charts, this is what a competitive game looks like:
--- The Avs were so bad that their supposed rivals, the Wild, almost sounded sorry for them in their post-game comments.
“We caught Colorado on an off night. Let’s be honest: They’re a much better team than that,” Zach Parise said.
--- The Avs were so bad that easily their best player on the night, goalie Semyon Varlamov, gave up five goals in two periods.
--- But every team has the odd bad night, you say? Yep, you’re right. But for the following very large reasons, the Avs should not have been lacking motivation:
1. They were playing the Wild, the team that eliminated them in the playoffs.
2. Matt Cooke was on the ice. He did this to a teammate of theirs.
3. Practically the entire analytics community had been predicting that Colorado would regress this season. Seriously, the Avs could have papered their entire dressing room in bulletin-board material.
4. It was, you know, the first game of the season. Maybe show up for it?
--- All four of these Minnesota goals happened in one period:
--- Meanwhile, counting the preseason, the Avs have scored just 10 times in their last nine games.
The good news? They get a shot at redemption tomorrow in Denver against the same Wild team.
One would think they’d be motivated.