MacKinnon and Rantanen focus on repetition, not scoring

Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon are reaching statistical measures that will set them apart from others at the end of their NHL careers. For Mikko Rantanen, it means scoring 50 goals in the regular season. He has 48 goals and nine games to reach that number and more. My vote is over.

MacKinnon, on the other hand, is looking for his first 100-point season, which he nearly accomplished in 2017-18 (97) and 2018-19 (99). He too has nine games to earn the remaining five points he needs to reach 100. I believe they will reach these milestones, not because these two phenoms are focused on doing so, but because they are focused on winning and doing something new. cup run. The stats always follow a team with high ambitions and enough skill and skill to realize their potential. It is represented by this year’s Colorado Avalanche team.

In this 21st episode of Mile High Hockey Lab, host Adrian Hernandez was joined by CEO Evan Liu and fellow contributors Jackie Kay and Ezra Parter. The conversation began with Colorado’s recent success on the power play and what might cause the flurry of success. The Avs have scored PPG in 12 straight games and will tie the franchise record if they can score in the next two games. We think it comes down to familiarity and practice, not to mention having an all-world defenseman like Cale Makari defending the first unit.

From that we ended up with our predictions about Mikko Rantanen’s 50-goal goal and used our poll for the week to measure the fans’ expectations. Fans and our panel agree that Mikko will likely score more than 50 goals, but less than Joe Sakic’s Avalanche record of 54. Ezra thinks that’s a reasonable prediction, but is bullish on Rantanen and believes he can beat the record of 54. Why not. ? He’s averaging half a goal per game, and the first powerplay unit is rolling.

It made us wonder if MacKinnon and Rantanen care that much about those numbers. We all know that both are very good at downplaying personal accomplishments, at least when the cameras are on, but what could that mean for them personally? That should mean a lot because these statistical benchmarks set you apart and are valuable bargaining chips for players when it comes time to sign a new contract.

Additionally, Evan Liu mentions that even though MacKinnon may express it outwardly, scoring 100 points means a lot for someone so competitive and in tune with the game. Jackie said the story goes forward Marchand and Crosby want to give MacK a hard time in the offseason not to. At least he has to want it so Sid can no longer hold it over his head.

We then looked ahead to the two remaining games this week in Colorado. They meet Minnesota Wild tomorrow and Dallas Stars on saturday night. Both games present a chance to take over the Central Division once and for all. On paper, the Avalanche should be more worried about the Dallas Stars. However, Jackie noted that sweeping a division rival like the Wild isn’t very common, and he’s worried about the matchup in that context.

If the Avalanche get a season sweep against the Wild, the Stars game will be even more crucial. Dallas might be Colorado’s biggest division threat. Therefore, beating them to win the division should be a priority. I’d rather they meet Kraken or the Jets in the first round than the Stars or Wild.

We ended the show, as we usually do, with bold predictions! Head over to YouTube or your preferred listening platform to hear how we filmed. Don’t forget to tune in to this week’s episode for more Avalanche talk! Like, subscribe and share! All episodes are broadcast live on our broadcast YouTube channelso go there and order.