Avalanche Takeaways: Colorado Dominates Detroit in 4-0 Shutout Victory

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche put together a dominant second-half performance to earn a 4-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Ball Arena.

After a sluggish start that saw Detroit control much of the opening period, Colorado found its footing, capitalized on its opportunities, and never looked back.

Martin Necas led the way with a four-point performance, recording two goals and two assists. Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon each finished with three points, contributing a goal and two assists apiece.

At the other end of the ice, Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside all 27 shots he faced to record his first shutout of the season, the 18th of his NHL career, and his seventh as a member of the Avalanche.

Here are our takeaways from Colorado's 4-0 win.

The Avalanche didn't exactly get off to the start they wanted.

Detroit played with a sense of urgency, brought more energy, and appeared to have the fresher legs early on. The Red Wings dictated the pace, putting Colorado on its heels and forcing the Avalanche to spend much of the opening frame defending.

After being outshot 13-1 to start the period, Colorado was fortunate that the game remained scoreless.

A big reason for that was Blackwood.

At one point, a defensive breakdown left 21-year-old Emmitt Finnie with an opportunity in front of the net. Blackwood came up with a gorgeous save on Finnie's backhand attempt, keeping Detroit off the scoreboard.

It was exactly the kind of stop Colorado needed, particularly given how much the Red Wings had controlled the early going.

Blackwood continued to give his teammates a chance to settle into the game, eventually turning in a perfect performance with 27 saves.

The shutout was his first of the season, the 18th of his career, and his seventh with Colorado. That moves him into a three-way tie for sixth place on the Avalanche's all-time shutout list alongside Alexandar Georgiev and Craig Anderson.

Despite struggling through much of the opening period, the Avalanche eventually began to find their footing.

Colorado picked up the pace down the stretch, generating more pressure and doing a better job of getting into the dirty areas of the ice. The Avalanche started creating high-danger opportunities and putting Detroit goaltender Daniil Tarasov to work.

It was a much-needed response after a sluggish start, and it gave Colorado some momentum heading into the second period.

More importantly, the Avalanche carried that momentum into the middle frame and began making the most of their opportunities.

Colorado's special teams played a major role in putting this game away.

The Avalanche earned their first power play early in the second period after Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot was sent to the penalty box for elbowing.

The man advantage didn't exactly get off to an encouraging start. Almost immediately, Colorado surrendered a shorthanded opportunity, allowing Red Wings forward Sheldon Dries to fly through the neutral zone and drive toward the net. Fortunately for the Avalanche, his shot hit nothing but iron.

Colorado would make Detroit pay for the penalty, however.

Martin Necas opened the scoring after a rebound found its way onto his stick, leaving him with a wide-open net to shoot at. Later in the period, Nathan MacKinnon unleashed a blistering one-timer off a feed from Cale Makar to extend Colorado's lead to 2-0.

The Avalanche weren't finished there.

After Moritz Seider was assessed an additional two-minute roughing penalty following a fight with Gabe Landeskog, Colorado went back to work on the power play.

Makar made Detroit pay, ripping a shot through traffic to give the Avalanche a commanding 3-0 lead.

Colorado's ability to capitalize on its special-teams opportunities proved to be a major difference in the game. After a relatively quiet start offensively, the Avalanche found another gear and consistently made Detroit pay for its mistakes.

Necas was arguably the most dangerous offensive player on the ice, finishing the night with two goals and two assists for a four-point performance.

His first goal opened the scoring and gave Colorado the breakthrough it desperately needed after Detroit controlled much of the first period.

But Necas' impact went well beyond finding the back of the net. His ability to create offense, make plays, and generate opportunities for his teammates was on full display throughout the night.

A four-point performance is an impressive way to cap off a dominant team effort, and Necas continues to show just how valuable he can be to Colorado's offensive attack.

Nathan MacKinnon doesn't always get the credit he deserves for his leadership.

He's quiet, intense, and perhaps misunderstood by those who don't get to see what he brings to the room and the ice every day.

But there was a small moment on Colorado's opening goal that caught my attention.

Before the play developed, MacKinnon appeared to motion with his stick toward Necas, seemingly directing him to get into position and establish himself in a more dangerous area of the ice.

Necas followed through. T.J. Hughes unloaded a turnaround shot, the puck traveled through the crease, and it landed right on Necas' tape for an easy finish.

It's a subtle detail, and perhaps one that could easily go unnoticed while watching the game. But it's also a great example of the kind of awareness and communication that makes MacKinnon such an effective leader.

Being able to recognize an opportunity, make an adjustment on the fly, and communicate that to a teammate in the middle of a play isn't easy. It takes an understanding of the game that goes beyond simply making the next pass or taking the next shot.

MacKinnon finished the night with a goal and two assists, but his ability to read situations, make those around him better, and lead through the little details deserves just as much attention.

Sometimes leadership isn't about giving a speech or wearing a letter. Sometimes it's about recognizing what needs to happen before anyone else does — and making sure your teammates are in the right position to make it happen.

Nazem Kadri hasn't lost his willingness to get involved when things get physical.

During one sequence, T.J. Hughes was roughed up following a whistle, taking a pair of solid cross-checks from Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider.

Kadri wasted little time stepping in, immediately delivering a two-piece of punches to Seider that left the Detroit defenseman bloodied around the nose.

Both players were assessed roughing penalties, but Kadri certainly made his presence felt.

Later, Seider and Gabe Landeskog got into a spirited altercation of their own after Seider threw the Avalanche captain to the ice. The two exchanged punches before officials stepped in, with both players receiving five-minute majors for fighting and Seider picking up an additional two minutes for roughing.

It was another reminder that Colorado isn't afraid to get involved when things get physical. And regardless of the situation or the opponent, Kadri isn't one to shy away from sticking up for a teammate.

After a slow start, the Avalanche put together the kind of performance that should leave them feeling good about their game.

Necas led the offensive charge with four points, Makar and MacKinnon each recorded three-point nights, and Colorado's power play came through when it mattered.

Most importantly, Blackwood was outstanding between the pipes, stopping all 27 shots he faced to secure the shutout.

It wasn't the prettiest start, but Colorado found its game, took control, and finished the night with a convincing 4-0 victory.