After the Colorado Avalanche soundly defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2, all felt right again. The Avalanche had been struggling of late, noticeably off the torrid pace they carved out over the first three months of the 2025-26 season.
Unfortunately, things just didn’t seem to want to go right on Friday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. Goal after goal against, the Avalanche tried to catch up but just couldn’t make up for a late surge, falling to the Flyers 7-3 at home.
Mackenzie Blackwood is Slumping
Having a pair of high-end goalies can be a nice thing most of the time. Other times, it can be a challenge for one of those goalies to keep their momentum going without playing every single game. That feels like what’s happening for Mackenzie Blackwood.
Blackwood has struggled with injuries for the bulk of the season, but hasn’t missed a beat otherwise. But now, he’s given up 11 goals on 47 shots over his last two starts. Against the Flyers, there were several shots that he normally turns aside that found the back of the net.
One of the major strengths for the Avalanche is their goaltending. Scott Wedgewood continues to have the best season of his career, but Blackwood needs to regain his form as well. The Avalanche take a lot of chances – more on that below – and they rely on their netminders to make up the difference. Blackwood couldn’t do that against the Flyers.
Turnovers Were a Difference-Maker
If you look at the box score, the Flyers lost the giveaway battle by more than 2:1. But if you watched the game, several key turnovers by the Avalanche led directly to goals by the Flyers. Such is the life of a high-flying offensive team, especially one that is trying to erase a deficit.
Related: NHL Morning Recap – January 24, 2026
Three such turnovers – two of the cross-blueline variety – led directly to goals. Though Blackwood could have been far better, it is always tough to blame the goaltender when turnovers lead to chances going the other way.
Part of that was the Avalanche trying to make up the deficit late. But part of it comes with the territory. Great as Cale Makar may be defensively, he is going to take some high-risk chances to generate offense a level that only he and maybe one other defenseman in the league are capable of. Once in a while, that means disaster.
Depth is Being Tested
It cannot be understated that this isn’t entirely the same Avalanche that was bulldozing its way through the league prior to the turn of the calendar. The injury woes are becoming a real thing once again, with Gabriel Landeskog and Devon Toews to miss substantial time, and there still being no return date for Logan O’Connor.
A month ago, it may have felt ridiculous to say that the Avalanche needed to make a move to bolster their lineup. Now, a move feels absolutely necessary. Whether that be a big swing for someone like Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers or a move to strengthen the 3C position remains to be seen.
If anything, this just goes to show that the NHL season is a marathon. Even the best teams go through slumps and injuries can be the great equalizer (unless you’re the Tampa Bay Lightning). The Avalanche are going through a rough spot, but it feels like a temporary issue.
A Bad Month of Hockey
It has simply been a bad month of hockey for the Avalanche. It began well enough, a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on the road. But for the month, the Avalanche are just 4-4-2, including losses to the Predators, Flyers, and Anaheim Ducks, all of whom are (at best) borderline wild card teams.
There are four games left in the month, all of them challenges. They have a Canadian road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens before finishing the month out with a visit to the Detroit Red Wings. Three of the four are playing well of late, so the Avalanche need to lock in and finish the month on a strong note.
