The Colorado Avalanche will play a lot of aesthetically pleasing hockey over the course of the 2023-24 season, but they’re also going to need to win some greasy ones.
What transpired Wednesday night was far from a Monet or a Rembrandt, despite two teams loaded with star power near the top of the Western Conference standings. The Vancouver Canucks had the better of the scoring chances in the first 40 minutes, but the Avs prevailed 5-2 because of three blue-collar goals and one moment of magic from the best defenseman in the NHL.
Riley Tufte scored his first goal in an Avalanche uniform from a spot where a lot of Colorado goals have come from of late — with his back to the Vancouver goalie at the edge of the crease.