Avs get 'reality check' with consecutive losses

The Avalanche were brought back to reality with back-to-back shutout losses after riding the high of a 6-0-0 start to the season

The Colorado Avalanche return home after consecutive shutout losses with a new perspective on what the team needs to do to get on track. 

Consistency is an issue throughout the lineup, according to head coach Jared Bednar. And every team the Avalanche face will be more dialed in to give one of the predicted Stanley Cup favorites a run for their money. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres both played some of their best hockey so far this season to shut out the Avs. 

"Based on the last two performances, I think we're still trying to figure out exactly what we are from an identity standpoint," Bednar said following the Sabres loss. "We know the way we want to play but we're having trouble getting there throughout our lineup."

As a guest on DNVR's podcast with Meghan Angley, Nathan Rudolph and Eric Lacroix, we discussed how the team has not quite found balance yet. I referenced Bednar saying that the team is still a work in progress. 

We also discussed who has had the greatest impact on the team's success to start. Lacroix and I agreed on Mikko Rantanen — Angley did as well, but added Alexandar Georgiev's reliable netminding. 

There's no doubt Georgiev's outstanding play contributed greatly to the Avalanche's early success and allowed the team a chance when it was struggling to find the back of the net. But the last two games have proven that the entire team is not on the same page. 

"I think we've got a lot of guys in here that think we're playing better than we really are," Devon Toews said after the shutout at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. "So I think that's something we need to address as a team, as a group — lot of games left to move forward." 

Bednar said he's not dealing with any "passengers," and that his players are all willing to work hard — they just haven't "clicked." One of the team's leaders, Cale Makar, gave his diagnosis of what's gone wrong. 

"I just think at the moment right now, I don't know if we've just got complacent as a team," Makar told the media on Sunday afternoon. "Obviously you come off of six wins and you're just gung ho happy — you're going to get punched in the face in Pittsburgh a little bit with a four nothing loss and same tonight. If anything, it's just a reality check to reset the boys and that's all you can do." 

It will be a test for Colorado against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. While the Blues have struggled to start the season with a 3-3-0 record, they're division rivals and will amp up their game against the Avalanche.