Once the Avalanche had faltered early and needed to scramble back Wednesday, it became clear what might nag this team in the playoffs.
Fans felt the sinking feeling in their stomachs whenever Nathan MacKinnon’s line skated to the bench for a change.
Who’s going to score when the top group isn’t on the ice?
That was the feeling of helpless inevitability as the Avs attempted to claw back from down 3-1 in the third period of an eventual 4-2 loss to the Wild. And with the playoffs less than three weeks away, it’s what separates this Avalanche team from last year’s Stanley Cup-winning buzzsaw.