Avalanche Struggle Defensively, Trail Jets 1-0 After First Period

The Jets earned the game's first power play when Brett Kulak was whistled for hooking just past the midway point of the opening period.

The ensuing man advantage put Colorado's penalty kill under pressure as Winnipeg peppered Scott Wedgewood with shots, but the Avalanche held firm. Alex Gagne got in front of one attempt, while Parker Kelly blocked two more, including one that shattered his stick on impact. Both players showed the kind of willingness to sacrifice their bodies that you typically see in a playoff game, and it helped Colorado weather what was otherwise a dangerous power play from the Jets. Even in the preseason, the Avalanche penalty kill looked sharp from the outset.

The Avalanche's play began to unravel, however, as the period wore on. Colorado struggled to win defensive-zone faceoffs, chased the puck around its own end and committed several dangerous turnovers and errant passes in front of Wedgewood. The mistakes forced the goaltender to work far harder than he would have liked, leaving him to make saves from awkward angles while dealing with a steady barrage of high-velocity shots.