Mikko Rantanen misses a backdoor tap-in with him on one knee and choked up on his stick. The first goal is mostly about Nathan MacKinnon’s individual brilliance. The Avs top trio scored two goals, numbers two and four, for the Avalanche tonight and they are both…ridiculous. He’s earned a little good fortune this year.

He also scored Colorado’s fifth goal and his career-high sixth of the season on a puck that just bounced its way to him. Girard’s game flourished in both ends as his best play of the night was a wonderful backcheck to break up a potential breakaway right after an Anaheim penalty had expired. He finished with seven shots on goal and could have easily had one or two more goals on the night. We saw that tonight when Byram went for a little skate and then scored Colorado’s first goal. These guys can take over games and change the flow entirely.

It was an all-around great night for Colorado’s second pairing and the kind of night that reinforces how dangerous this Avalanche squad is when the defense is largely healthy as it is right now. The shot metrics are awesome, of course, and they combined for three points (Byram two of them) and two of the five goals scored. I’m putting them together in this because I thought they were especially great as a pairing.

Avs media editor