"As a result, the schedule is crunched, and you could really see the effect over the holiday weekend, with tired squads playing low-event games. The NHL has long been in an era of relative parity, but the bulk of the teams feel especially interchangeable through the first few months of this season. If you're asked how your local boys are doing, and you don't know, the safest answer is "Oh, they're doing all right.""
"While nearly everyone else has see-sawed their way to inconclusive contention, the Avs have smothered the field. They've only lost onegame in regulation out of 26 so far, winning 19 and showing zero signs of weakness. They're pacing the NHL in both goals scored and goals against, and they've won 12 of their last 13, the lone loss coming in a shootout against Minnesota's sensational rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt."
The NHL schedule is compressed by a three-week Olympic break, creating fatigue and low-event games during holiday stretches. Most teams cluster in performance, with 27 of 32 sitting between 25 and 35 points, producing interchangeable standings. The Colorado Avalanche, by contrast, have dominated, losing only one regulation game in 26, winning 19, pacing the league in goals for and against, and posting 12 wins in 13 games. In a recent 3-1 victory over Vancouver, Colorado outplayed the opposition after conceding early. Nathan MacKinnon leads the attack, scoring 22 goals in 26 games and netting two against Kevin Lankinen.
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