Legendary Los Angeles Kings announcer Bob Miller famously shouted, “Woo woo woo, Kenny Woo!” in D2: The Mighty Ducks after Kenny Woo, played by Justin Wong, scored one of the most unlikely goals in the movie. It was pure Disney magic — and on Monday night, Ross Colton delivered a moment that felt ripped straight from a script as the Colorado Avalanche battled the Minnesota Wild in Game 4 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series. Written off by many for much of the season, Colton’s name surfaced constantly in trade speculation leading up to the deadline. To some surprise, the 2021 Stanley Cup champion remained in Colorado, though there was still a lingering feeling that his game had never fully found its footing. Ross Colton’s pre-game meal is plain, but his clutch performances are a thing of beauty. The flashes were there. A goal here, a strong shift there. But head coach Jared Bednar wanted more consistency, more urgency, and more detail in a game that punishes anything less in May. A HEALTHY SCRATCH THAT SPARKED A PLAYOFF RESET So Bednar sent a message. Colton was scratched for the opening two games of the postseason against the Los Angeles Kings, a series the Avalanche ultimately swept in four games. In Game 1, Colton sat in the press box next to fellow healthy scratch Nick Blankenburg, and the frustration was obvious. His expression carried disbelief — the kind that doesn’t need words, just reaction. There was no humor in it then. No perspective. Just frustration. A MESSAGE FROM BEDNAR AND A RESPONSE FROM COLTON In hindsight, that decision became a turning point in his season. Any competitor in that position is going to be pissed off. That’s just reality. A good coach recognizes it, but also expects a response. In many ways, Bednar’s message was simple — he knew Colton was frustrated, but he needed him to respond. And Colton has done exactly that. The Avalanche, meanwhile, got their own reminder in Game 2 — a 5–1 loss on Saturday that exposed some sloppiness and reset their edge heading into the rest of the series. That response showed up in Game 5. “I thought we did a great job,” Colton told Sportsnet. “A tough building to play in. Feel like they took it to us last game, that’s not really how we want to play.” “Kind of a look in the mirror moment yesterday. We were doing video. They got a good team over there, but so do we.” It was straightforward and honest — the kind of answer that usually comes from a group that understands exactly what needed fixing. When Colton eventually returned to the lineup, Bailey Curtis of DNVR asked whether there was any benefit to watching the game from a bird’s-eye view. Colton laughed before answering bluntly: “No. It sucked.” Maybe it had to. Since returning, Colton has played with more pace and conviction. Before Game 5, he quietly posted two assists over his previous three games while working in a reduced role but higher-impact shifts. Then came the moment. With 13:04 remaining in the third period of a 1-1 game, Colton drifted into space on Jesper Wallstedt’s stick side. Nicolas Roy threaded a pass through traffic, and Colton snapped a wrist shot past the goalie to give Colorado a 2–1 lead. A goal like that doesn’t just change a scoreboard. It changes momentum, belief, and the feel of an entire series. Colton admitted before Game 3 that he was still angry about being scratched to start the playoffs, but also acknowledged it fueled him. That’s what separates players at this level. Everyone gets knocked off balance. Not everyone responds. Colorado would have been in a very different position had that game gone the other way. Instead of control of the series, they could have been staring at a 2–2 tie. Instead, they head back to Ball Arena up 3–1 and on the verge of the Western Conference Final. For months, Colton was a player many had written off. Some questioned his fit. Others wondered about his future. Now he’s one of the reasons the Avalanche are one win away from advancing. At this stage, they don’t need comfortable players. They need competitive ones. Right now, they’ve got exactly that. Avalanche fans want to see this again for Ross Colton, just in a different jersey. Credit: Kim Klement - Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/d9868cec-7e19-4cfe-9f6c-7e7d2efb1c5e.jpeg] Avalanche fans want to see this again for Ross Colton, just in a different jersey. Credit: Kim Klement - Imagn Images And as Colorado continues its push toward another Stanley Cup, the player once sitting in the press box frustrated and overlooked has become, in every sense, Mr. Hollywood. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7eb8a770-9354-4ca5-bc97-1297957764c3.jpeg]
