Coach Jared Bednar and several members of the Colorado Avalanche attribute the success of their team to the energy and support of their fans.
DENVER – Anyone who attended a game or even the watch parties during the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup run last year get a jolt just thinking about it. The charisma and energy the fans brought to the team, helped the team just as much. And that has continued throughout this season, as well.
“They’ve been remarkable the whole year, I think, and last year. They give us such an advantage with the atmosphere, the intensity, a hostile environment for teams to play in,” Logan O’Connor said. “Playing at high altitude against our team’s speed, I think home-ice advantage is definitely a huge factor.”
In a tight race with Dallas for the Central Division title, Colorado could take it with a win against the Winnipeg Jets and a loss by the Stars to the St. Louis Blues Thursday night. If both teams win, then it comes down to the Avs’ last game of the season vs. the Nashville Predators on Friday.
Crowd energy can boost Avs, deflate opponents
Just how important is that home-ice advantage? O’Connor said the crowd gives the team more momentum in games with the level of intensity and noise.
“When the momentum swings, they’re always there for us. Giving a hit, good save, whatever it may be, I think our fans are the best in the league for a reason,” O’Connor said.
Bowen Byram mirrored O’Connor’s sentiments on the electricity of the building and just what the fan energy means to the team and the opponents that play at Ball Arena.
“I’ve always said it, I think it’s a bit of a cliché, but I really do think we have the best fans in the league. Our building’s hard to come into and play in, I think,” Byram said. “I feel like our fans have been ramping up lately getting ready for the playoffs too so it’s fun. It’s always a blast playing here. You know our fans, they’re definitely one-of-a-kind. I feel like it's kind of a younger crew, kind of gets rowdy, so it’s fun.”
And the players look like they’re having fun playing in Denver so that reflects on their level of play too. Coach Jared Bednar said earlier this week that happy hockey players are more productive and that rings true for this team.
“Playing hard, committed hockey. It’s something we’ve been building towards the whole season. We’ve been better and better as the season’s gone on, in my opinion,” Bednar said after an optional morning skate Thursday.
“You got to get your team to a spot not only where they believe they can win, but when they’re going above and beyond in order to win … This is a committed group with a lot of heart and grit,” Bednar said.
Playoff time: Fans contribute same level of intensity as players
The Avalanche’s coach feels the team is in a good place going into the playoffs as it continues to show that determination and effort.
And like so many other situations, one of the most important secrets to success is location, location, location. Which, he feels, contributed to their success last season.
“Our fans have been incredible. They supported us last year and it just seemed like everyone was super confident in what our team could accomplish and our team kind of handled that pressure well.
“And even when there were ups and downs in the season, they stuck with us. But playoffs being the pinnacle of it, like our building, last year. I mean we played in four different buildings and everyone talks about how good the crowd is everywhere else but when you get in our building, I think even other teams are surprised with the noise and energy that they (the fans) bring from the start of the game to the end of the game," Bednar said.
Considering the adversity the team has been up against all season long, it’s clearly a different look than last year’s Stanley Cup-winning team. But the Avalanche, sans-Gabriel Landeskog and a myriad of injuries, have shown perseverance like no other.
Lars Eller said it best when asked what the most notable thing he’s learned about this team since joining is: “Never give up … the belief is always there … no matter what kind of situation we find ourselves in.” Bednar’s opinion is roughly the same.
“It’s been a different year for us, it’s been lots of growth and our team’s in a different spot than it was last season. But our team plays with a lot of heart and energy and determination and I feel like our fans bring that same type of energy,” Bednar said.
The power of that vibe can make a difference, especially in the playoffs, Bednar said. He made the point that the energy can give the team life when it needs it just at the right times and that is a huge advantage. And the other teams can feel it too, which makes Ball Arena a tough place for opposing teams to get a win.
"It gives us that energy boost, you know. Kind of gets us off on the right foot, I think, in the series," Alex Newhook said. "You know our fans show up every night so it's nice to see."