In retrospect, we should have seen it coming. In the 14 regular season competitions that winger Avalanche winger JT Compher hit the net – he only hit 16 times but few were cheap – Colorado posted a stellar record of 10-1-3.
Fast forward to the Stanley Cup playoffs and there’s Compher again, hooking up a set of jumper cables to the Avs offensive and cranking that engine up like there’s no tomorrow. The Chicago native’s goal with 2:39 remaining in the third period of Game 2 forced overtime in Calgary; his goal with 11:50 remaining normal playing time in game 4 halved the lead of the Flames. Colorado won both competitions, and the Avs are 5-1 in their last two playoff series in competitions where Compher scores at least one point.
“If our players play well, we have a much better chance of winning,” Compher said Thursday before the Avs boarded their flight to Calgary for Game 5 of their best-of-seven streak, taking a 3-1 lead Alberta after a 3-2 overtime win at the Pepsi Center late Wednesday. “And I think that shows that it was late in the game line by line. Everyone deals with physicality, and we are currently playing as a unit, which gives us a lot of offensive. “
Compher’s rebound goal with an empty net late in Game 2 in Calgary knotted the competition 2-2, a game the Avs took over in overtime. The gruff winger got the party going again late Wednesday night. After the hosts were 2-0 down at the Pepsi Center, Compher cleaned up again when Flames goalkeeper Mike Smith blocked a shot from Matt Calvert who turned a loose puck in the direction of the winger to the left of the goal area. As Smith crawled and went down, Compher hit the top shelf of the netkeeper to get the Avs onto the board. Teammate Mikko Rantanen would equalize the score nine minutes later and eventually shoot the winner home in extra time.
“Your top players are matched against top players on other teams every night and you need a high score,” said coach Jared Bednar of the Avs, which are one win away from winning their first playoff series since 2008 . And you need a depth of scoring. (It’s) not only big goals that he scored, but goals that are timely, goals that bring us back.
“(He) comes on the web and does all the right things. Very similar goal (Wednesday) to the one he scored with an empty net in Calgary. “
Compher has already collected as many postseason points (three) in four playoff appearances this month as in six first-round appearances in 2018 , 5 shifts per game used during this series, compared to 17.7 per game during the first round elimination from Nashville a year ago.
“Why wouldn’t you like that? It’s a great group to be a part of and we have a lot of fun, play well, and play for each other, “said Compher.
“We’ve been playing hockey this (last) month (as it was) basically (playoff) hockey for us… so don’t panic in our room. There is a lot of belief that we can get this victory in any situation. “
In hindsight, Calgary should have seen it coming too. Fortunately for the Avs, it might be too late.
Footnotes. defender Samuel Girard (Upper body) skated Thursday morning and was part of the team charter, Bednar said. The coach noted that Girard was “getting better” and said he would be evaluated early Friday and again just before Game 5 starts. … According to Hockey-Reference.com Rantas and Nathan McKinnon are the first Avs duo to have both played multi-goal games in the same playoff run since 2003. … The Avs’ two postseason overtime wins are the most in a single streak since a pair in 2014 during a first-round loss to Minnesota. “Our Belief System Is Strong” Bednar said.
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