At 2-3, there’s no reason for the Colorado Avalanche to start panicking, but it is time for them to start buckling down. Through these five games, we’ve seen the flashes that made this team so special two years ago, but we’ve also seen the flaws that dragged them back down to reality last season.
If the Avalanche are going to go the way of the 2013-14 team, as opposed to the 2014-15 team, these next few games could go a long way towards making that a reality, and nobody knows that more than the players themselves.
Here’s what they’ve had to say:
Patrick Roy on the importance of improving quickly:
“Look at our division. There’s three teams at 10 points already — two at 5-1 and one at 5-2 — that are at the top of our division. We’re going to have to play some really good hockey at home if we want to have a chance to be a part of the playoffs.”
The Avalanche may have only checked five games off their schedule, but even at 82 games, the season moves fast. If you’re not quick off the jump, you can find yourself in a deep hole before you know it.
Neither Roy nor his players want to play like time is on their sides; every game needs to be considered just as important as the next. That seems to be the mentality Roy is instilling in his players, and now we’ll have to see if they come out playing as if there season is on the line.
