Avalancheโ€™s Jared Bednar describes overtime victory against Rangers as โ€œlackluster,โ€ praising only the goaltending and a few players.

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    DENVER โ€” Following a tightly contested game, Colorado managed to secure a 3-2 overtime victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, yet Avalanche coach Jared Bednarโ€™s review of the performance was far from complimentary.

    โ€œUnimpressive,โ€ he stated succinctly, emphasizing his dissatisfaction with the lack of engagement from several players. Despite achieving their 14th comeback win with a decisive goal from Devon Toews just over four minutes into overtime, Bednar was clearly not content with the overall team effort.

    โ€œIt felt like only half the team was actively participating,โ€ Bednar remarked, noting that some athletes had to exert extraordinary efforts to keep the team competitive.

    Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood was one of those key players, delivering a stellar performance with 27 saves, many of which halted dangerous breakaways from the Rangers.

    โ€œTo allow only two goals despite facing around 12 high-quality scoring chances is truly remarkable,โ€ Toews acknowledged, commending Blackwoodโ€™s effort in maintaining the teamโ€™s position in the game.

    Bednar also heaped praise on Blackwood, calling him โ€œthe best player on the iceโ€ for either team. Since joining the Avalanche in a trade deal with San Jose, Blackwood has shown consistency, compiling a record of 9-2-1 and keeping opponents to two goals or fewer in every game.

    โ€œSuccess fluctuates, and while things may not always go your way, itโ€™s important to give your best effort every time,โ€ Blackwood commented as he focused on maintaining the teamโ€™s chances of victory.

    His exceptional play was crucial, as was the tenacity of Logan Oโ€™Connor, whose efforts in the overtime period helped deliver the puck to Nathan MacKinnon, setting up Toews for the winning shot past the Rangersโ€™ Igor Shesterkin.

    Bednar also praised the performance of the penalty-kill unit, especially as they successfully navigated Mikko Rantanenโ€™s interference penalty early in overtime. โ€œThe players out there put in a significant effort,โ€ he noted, referencing the determination exhibited by the team during the match.

    However, he expressed concern over having to depend excessively on a core group of players, saying, โ€œWeโ€™re relying too heavily on the same few guys to handle power plays, penalty kills, and even-strength situations because we had too many passengers tonight.โ€

    When asked about his feelings regarding the game, Bednar offered a candid assessment. โ€œBoth annoyed and angry,โ€ he admitted.

    Reflecting on the prior dayโ€™s practice, he added, โ€œIt didnโ€™t meet my expectations, and tonightโ€™s performance from the team wasnโ€™t up to par either.โ€