ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Colorado Avalanche wrapped up their regular season against the Anaheim Ducks. Colorado did it with none of their starts in the lineup to give them rest or time to recover from injuries. So to fill the gap, the Avalanche had five Colorado Eagles in the lineup. It was a slow start, but a flood of four goals late in the game led to Colorado’s 4–2 victory.

First Period

The opening period of the last game of the regular season for the Avalanche  saw a steady pace. There were few whistles to stop the game, so the period just flew by. With many of the starters sitting for the Avs, they really did not play that badly. The Avs applied some pressure to the Ducks and, with just over four minutes left, forced a slashing penalty on Frank Vatrano. Anaheim killed off the penalty, but then roared back as Mason McTavish tapped in his 22nd goal of the year. The Avs could not strike back in the remaining minute of the period and headed to the intermission down 1–0.

Second Period

The Ducks struggled to put anything together for the first five minutes of the period. The plus side for the Ducks was that so did the Avalanche. Charlie Coyle gave the Ducks some real momentum just over five minutes into the period. Coyle tripped up McTavish, forcing the Avalanche to the penalty kill. The Avs killed it off, but just one second later, Sam Colangelo threw a wrist shot from the slot past Scott Wedgewood. After the Ducks potted the goal, The Avalanche struggled to put anything together, lacking any puck control until there were four minutes left in the period. The Ducks headed into the second intermission with a 2–0 lead over the Avalanche and clearly out playing them.

Third Period

Both the Avalanche and the Ducks exchanged a set of penalties in the first five minutes of the third period. Erik Johnson was for high-sticking and Jackson LaCombe was for a delay of game. Neither team had any success in their chance, the Avalanche simply over-passing the puck on their opportunity.

Halfway through the period, Martin Necas led a charge into the Ducks zone for the Avalanche. Nacas dropped a pass to rookie Wyatt Aamodt, who was following in the rush. Aamodt tried to send a pass to Parker Kelly, but the puck redirected off a defender and past Lukas Dostal for his first NHL goal in just his second game to put the Avs down by one goal.

About four minutes later, the Avs were on their third power play of the night. They were working it around the perimeter as Coyle had it down in the corner. Coyle ripped it up to Sam Malinski at the top of the slot for the shot and Jack Drury tipped it in for the tying goal.

The Avs scored the go-ahead goal with just over two minutes left in regulation. Logan O’Connor tore down the far side wall into the zone and centered it for Jimmy Vesey. The Hobey Baker winner tapped a pass over to Coyle and he finished the job for the 3–2 lead. Johnson would add an empty net goal to seal the deal at 4–2.

Observations From the Mountaintop

The lineup’s many Colorado Eagles explained the Avalanche’s expected slow start. Most of them have not played together all at once since the start of the season. Colorado only managed six shots on the net in the second, letting the Ducks gather momentum in the period.

Wyatt Aamodt has been impressive in his two game stint so far. He did not hesitate to rush into the zone or step up on the man defensively. To add his first goal in only his second game was just a cherry on top.

Next Game

Colorado will take on the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The NHL has not yet released the schedule, but it’s believed the series will start Saturday, April 19.