All those clamouring to have Alexandar Georgiev replaced after opening this year’s playoffs allowing seven goals, likely echoed that sentiment early in Colorado’s round 2 opener Tuesday.
After allowing three goals on nine first period shots, there had to be a moment when Avalanche coach Jared Bednar contemplated pulling his starter.
He’s glad he didn’t, as Georgiev eventually emerged the star in an unlikely comeback that saw Colorado erase a 3-0 first period deficit to beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 in overtime.
And while plenty will talk about how far down in an overtime pool you would have had to pick to select Miles Wood to score his very first sudden death winner, it was the Avalanche’s undrafted netminder who made it possible by stopping the first five shots in extra time.
The 28-year-old Bulgarian made a pair of world class stops on Tyler Seguin in the first five minutes of overtime before making a glove stop on Wyatt Johnston in close that kept the visitors alive.
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It was shortly thereafter Wood got a step on Miro Heiskanen in the neutral zone and outraced the star defenceman to the net before cutting across the crease to deposit a nifty deke past Jake Oettinger to punctuate a brilliant series opener.
Woods’ dramatic goal came 29 years after his father, Randy, scored an overtime winner for Toronto in a conference quarterfinals win, making them the sixth father-son duo to both record a playoff winner in extra time.
Unlike opening night of the playoffs when Georgiev allowed seven goals on 23 shots against the Jets, none of the early Stars goals could be pinned on him.
He was screened when Ryan Suter’s point shot beat him, Johnston’s quick release off a faceoff from the high slot was a doozy and nothing could be done to stop Jamie Benn’s redirection in tight.
All he could do was hold the fort from there while the Avs found their legs following a seven-day layoff earned by beating the Jets in five.
Alas, Valeri Nichushkin and Cale Makar scored power play goals less than four minutes apart early in the second before Nathan MacKinnon quieted the American Airlines Center with the game-tying goal 39 seconds into the third.
From there each team took turns pressing for the game-winner eventually scored by Wood.
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Maybe, just maybe, the much-maligned Georgiev is capable of proving all doubters wrong by backstopping the Avs to a championship the way Darcy Kuemper did with the club two years ago.
“He’s been huge for us,” said Wood, whose club was saved from going down 4-0 when Josh Manson made a goal-line save in the dying seconds of the first period.
“In the first series he was great for us. The first period, three goals were let in, but the bounce-back he showed was outstanding. He’s a big part of this team.”
There’s plenty of hockey left in this series alone before we start talking about Georgiev as the ultimate difference-maker.
But before the puck drops for Game 2 Thursday plenty will be said about the Avalanche goalie, who managed to go 38-18-5 this season despite sporting a 3.00 GAA and .897 save percentage.
Finishing second-overall this year as one of the league’s deepest and stingiest clubs, the Stars had previously won 12 straight games while leading after two periods, and 21 of their last 22.
But not this one, reminding everyone what the Winnipeg Jets learned in the first round — count out these Avs at any point at your peril.
“It was three quick ones, we felt like it wasn’t a 3-0 game,” MacKinnon told reporters.
“We stayed positive after the first. No negativity.
“We didn’t know if we could come back, we just wanted to see and give ourselves a chance, and we did. Feels great.”
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According to Optastats, Tuesday marked the fifth time this season the Avalanche were down by three or more goals and being shut out before shutting down their opposition the rest of the way and completing the comeback for the win.
No other team has done that more than three times in an NHL season.
“It was definitely tough taking a week off, took us a bit, but once we found our legs I thought we had a great second and great third,” said MacKinnon, whose club had won three of the four meetings between these two Central division juggernauts in the regular season.
“They were buzzing in OT, Georgie made some great saves and Woody had a great goal.”
Some will suggest the rigors of the Stars seven-game war against Vegas had something to do with the Avs’ ability to claw back.
But it was Georgiev, and his 19 saves, who played an even bigger role.
