questionable officiating – Jared Bednar pointed to two contentious penalties that disrupted Colorado’s power play rhythm, as the Avalanche fought through chaos before earning key moments in Game 2.
The biggest complaint from Colorado after Tuesday night’s Game 2 victory wasn’t about effort—it was about officiating that seemed to steer the flow of the game at the wrong times.
Bednar’s core point was blunt: the second period felt dictated more by penalties than by play. breaking the Avalanche’s rhythm and stretching the match into long stretches that didn’t let either team settle.. He also emphasized that some of the calls looked minor in real-time, even when the consequences were anything but minor.. For a series that already runs on fine margins, that kind of disruption matters.
The sequence that sparked the sharpest reaction came during the Avalanche’s third power play.. A fumbled puck near Cale Makar created a dangerous moment the other way. with Quinton Byfield turning it into a breakaway.. Bednar said the contact described by the penalty—largely involving a stick tap and not Cale’s hands—didn’t match what he believed was a true penalty in spirit.. The officials signaled a penalty shot anyway. and Scott Wedgewood made a glove save that kept the scoreline from swinging further against Colorado.
After the broken pane of glass delayed action for just under 20 minutes. Colorado pushed forward and still found itself dealing with a second officiating moment that ended a power play early.. This time, Nathan MacKinnon was called for interference after dropping the puck back as he entered the zone.. Bednar argued that MacKinnon didn’t have a clean path to avoid contact. describing it as a play driven by positioning rather than intention.. The Avalanche’s power play went 0-for-3 overall. and Bednar’s frustration was tied not only to the calls themselves. but to how quickly momentum vanished when it looked like Colorado had a chance to turn pressure into goals.
The human side of that frustration is simple: playoff hockey doesn’t pause for debate.. When a team’s power play ends prematurely—twice on what Bednar viewed as calls that should not have been penalties—it changes the psychological temperature of shifts. line matching. and even how aggressive players can be in the next sequence.. Colorado’s discipline is already a storyline in these rounds. and Bednar acknowledged that not every issue can be traced to officiating.
Still, the Avalanche coach didn’t treat the discussion as a blanket excuse.. He pointed out that other penalties they took were ones they deserved. and he even referenced a late penalty in the third that led to a goal against.. In a series where one mistake can become a momentum swing. Bednar’s message was that Colorado has to tighten both ends: fewer needless decisions. sharper discipline. and less reaching when the game is moving at full speed.
Beyond the officiating, the game’s storyline came through in the moments that did break cleanly for Colorado.. Nic Roy’s overtime winner stood out as a high point of the series — a goal that felt perfectly matched to the kind of play Roy delivers best: strong. rangy movement in tight spaces around the crease.. Bednar framed Roy as the ideal finisher for that moment. especially since the play unfolded where the Avalanche thrives—right in front. where traffic. timing. and second chances decide the outcome.
Roy’s goal didn’t arrive in isolation.. Nazem Kadri played a quiet game by volume. but he made a key pass that opened space and started the chain.. Kadri’s play along the boards. the way the puck was handled and redirected. mattered because it disrupted what the Kings were trying to do defensively—block shots. deny passing lanes. and turn avalanche-style pressure into crowded chaos.. Bednar also noted how the Kings were relentless about getting in front of everything. which only made Colorado’s payoff in overtime feel more earned.
There was also context in how Colorado is winning these games.. Bednar’s view was that even when the Kings play with a strong defensive identity. the Avalanche still carry two advantages: giving up the fewest goals and generating offense at a high level.. That combination explains why the wins don’t feel like luck—even when the game gets messy.. The Avalanche’s style can absorb discomfort, but only up to a point.
That brings the conversation to the physical incidents that continued to shape attention around the series.. Bednar called one sequence involving Mikey Anderson and Martin Necas “frustrating. ” describing how it looked like a shot to the head at first glance. though replays suggested the elbow stayed down.. Even with that clarification. Bednar disliked the outcome because Colorado ended up killing penalties rather than getting a fair balance in what became a heated exchange.. He connected it to the reality of playoff officiating: the game tends to demand you either take both sides of the physicality or neither.
Necas also had an interruption after being pulled by the concussion spotter. returning later and continuing the game after a bloody nose.. Bednar noted the restraint makes sense—checking the player when concerns are raised—but he still highlighted how Necas contributed afterward. including a late first-period check that created momentum.. On the other side. Logan O’Connor used the next game as a chance to respond to what he felt went unanswered in Game 1. showing how quickly narratives can shift from one night to the next in the postseason.
Underneath the tension, there were still clear technical takeaways.. Bednar referenced the importance of sequences where Necas makes plays happen. including a pass that led to a Gabe Landeskog goal.. He also pointed to an early-game issue: Colorado passed up too many shots early. and while they found their rhythm as the game moved on. the early hesitation cost them chances when the Kings were at their most organized.. And defensively. Bednar leaned into the value of the Sam Malinski and Brett Kulak pairing—an insistence that the Avalanche’s depth work is often the difference-maker when the series tightens.
Ultimately, Bednar’s 10 takeaways read like a series of lessons rather than a single complaint.. The Avalanche wants to win through structure and timing. but it also knows that when penalties interrupt the natural flow. teams lose more than power-play minutes—they lose comfort. rhythm. and the ability to build pressure the way they intended.. Colorado’s response has been to keep competing through the noise, then cash in when the game finally opens.