The Avalanche are on pace to break their personal overtime loss record.
The Colorado Avalanche are on track to etch an unusual mark in the record books.
Through just 13 regular-season games, Colorado has already accumulated five overtime losses—surpassing last season’s total over a full 82-game campaign. The statistic is as striking as it is unconventional. For historical context, the franchise’s previous high for overtime defeats came during the 2018–19 season, when the Avalanche endured 14 such setbacks.
The Avs are 7-1 in eight games that ended in regulation, but they’re also 0-5 in overtime and shootout. The question that everyone should be asking is, “Why is this happening?”
What’s Going On?
The Avalanche possess an electric offense yet, puzzlingly, they frequently relinquish momentum regardless of the opponent. This pattern was evident when they squared off against the New Jersey Devils on October 28 in their second and final match of the season. Colorado scored five consecutive goals only to surrender four unanswered in return. It resembles a fighter capable of overwhelming an opponent with lightning-fast combinations, yet curiously exposing themselves to counterattacks, allowing the adversary to seize control. In an instant, a contest that once seemed assuredly in their favor devolves into a struggle for dominance, with the opposition dictating the rhythm and momentum of the encounter. The saying in boxing and other forms of combat is “playing with your food.”
Well, the Avalanche have been playing with their food a little too much this season, and by the time they finally dig in, the other team has already stirred in their own ingredients. One particularly tricky spice has been “Overtime”, and so far, Colorado has shown a clear allergic reaction, struggling to handle the extended pressure. Whether it’s the anaphylactic shock of turnovers or missed passes, any game that goes past the third has been a death sentence for this team.
The bottom line is that it’s inexcusable. When the stats show that you’ve outshot your opponents more than 90% of the time this year, you would expect to have a winning percentage somewhat close to that number. But when you’ve only won 54% of the games, this would suggest that there’s some work to do.
Consider, for instance, the October 26 meeting between the Avalanche and the Devils, in which New Jersey emerged with a 4–3 overtime victory. In the second period alone, Colorado outshot New Jersey 11–3, yet it was the Devils who found the back of the net. This illustrates that offensive volume alone is insufficient; the quality of opportunities matters just as much as quantity. The Avalanche may unleash a torrent of shots, but if the opposition is converting more efficiently, sheer volume doesn’t really matter.
But again, it’s still early in the season. But it’s important to note that we can do better. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the one-point arguments are getting a little bit tiresome.
The Avalanche return home on Tuesday to host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena, with puck drop slated for 7:30 p.m. local time—primetime hockey, baby.
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