Devon Toews was just inches away from becoming the overtime hero for the Colorado Avalanche. Instead, 20 seconds later, he found himself at the center of the play that cost his team the game.
Toews hit the post with a shot at 1:42 of overtime against the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. Moments later, he was called for hooking Steven Stamkos, giving Nashville a power play that the veteran forward quickly converted into a 3-2 overtime winner.
It Was a More Complete Effort for the Avalanche
It was a frustrating finish for Colorado, which had shown a much better effort after Tuesday’s embarrassing 7-2 loss to Columbus. The Avalanche battled back to tie the game in the second period, but couldn’t complete the comeback, dropping their second straight contest.
Despite the loss, coach Jared Bednar saw signs of progress, particularly in his team’s defensive commitment. Still, the night will likely be remembered for Toews’ costly overtime penalty and the narrow margin between winning and losing.
“I’m not going to talk about it. They call it, and we lose the game. That’s the way it goes,” Toews said after the loss.
“It’s frustrating for us in here. It’s not from a lack of effort…we’re just not where we’re at right now.”
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Bednar liked the way his team defended and competed. Now the challenge is making that effort the norm—not just a response to a rough loss. One improved game is encouraging, but Colorado will need to string together stronger performances if it wants to turn close contests into wins.
Devon Toews Was Almost the Hero, But Wound Up Frustrated
Toews came close to ending the game for Colorado. At 1:42 of overtime, his shot hit the post. Right after, officials called him for hooking Stamkos, giving Nashville a power play.
Stamkos made the most of it, scoring the winner with a one-timer. The goal was the 247th power-play goal of his career, moving him past Phil Esposito and tying him with Luc Robitaille for fifth on the NHL’s all-time list.
It was a rough swing for Toews: almost the game’s hero, then caught up in the play that led to the loss.
The Avalanche Showed a Strong Response, But Just Couldn’t Win
For Colorado, the takeaway is more complicated than simply “play better.” The Avalanche showed they could respond after a lopsided defeat, defend with more commitment and push a game to overtime. But they still need to keep that focus for a full game—and find ways to finish when the score is tight.
Thursday wasn’t the result they wanted. It was, though, a step in the right direction.
Avalanche D-Man Devon Toews Clearly Frustrated: “I’m Not Going To Talk About It”