A Familiar Face Has Become the Avalanche's Ultimate Boogeyman

The Colorado Avalanche have plenty of problems to sort out right now, but one in particular keeps coming back to haunt them. His name is Ryan O’Reilly, and the former Avalanche forward has been nothing short of a nightmare for his old team over the last two meetings.

Nashville has won two straight against the Avalanche, outscoring them 13-5 in the process. The Predators aren’t considered to be a playoff threat, but they’ve looked like bonafide Stanley Cup contenders against the Avalanche as of late.

Leading the charge has been a familiar face. 

O’Reilly, who was selected first overall by Colorado in the 2009 NHL Draft and spent the first six seasons of his NHL career with the organization, has turned into an absolute headache for his former club as of late. 

The 35-year-old has scored five goals in 10 career games against the Avalanche. But here’s where things get a little ridiculous: all five have come in the last two meetings.

O’Reilly first put on a show at Ball Arena on January 16, recording a hat trick as Nashville cruised to a 7-3 victory.

The two clubs met again nearly two weeks later at Bridgestone Arena, and the result wasn’t much different.

Nashville routed Colorado again defeat, this time by a score of 6-2. O’Reilly was once again right in the middle of everything, finding the back of the net twice.

Combined, O'Reilly has racked up five goals and three assists for eight points in Nashville's last two meetings against Colorado.

Nobody is suggesting the Avalanche should throw the entire defensive game plan out the window just to chase one player around the ice. Hockey doesn’t work that way. But when O’Reilly has had a hand in four of Nashville’s seven goals at Ball Arena and four of its six in the rematch, it’s hard to ignore the pattern.

And perhaps that’s a bigger problem than it initially appears, because the Avalanche (9-6-1) are beginning to reach an interesting crossroads. Are they still a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, or are we starting to see a team that’s far more vulnerable than its reputation suggests?

The frustrating part is that Colorado has shown it can look like just about anybody in the league. At its best, this team is breathtaking. The speed, skill, physicality and overall execution can make the Avalanche look like an unstoppable force. But at its worst? Well, there’s a pretty uncomfortable contrast.

Watching Colorado this season has been a case of strong whiplash. One night, you’re standing in front of St. Basil’s Cathedral, admiring something absolutely breathtaking: colorful, intricate, beautiful and almost impossible to look away from.

The next night, you’re looking at Chernobyl. It’s either a masterpiece or a nuclear meltdown, and the inconsistency is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.

The last thing Colorado needs is another disaster against Nashville. And if the Avalanche are serious about getting back on track, it might have to start with finding a way to get physical with their former first-round pick and make life a little more difficult for O'Reilly.

The Avalanche take on the Predators Thursday night at Ball Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. local time.