Casey Mittelstadt, in his first NHL playoff game, made a strong impression. The Avalanche center, acquired at the trade deadline, played a key role in Colorado’s Game 1 performance against the Winnipeg Jets.
Mittelstadt, centering the second line between Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen, contributed to the team’s secondary scoring. Despite playing limited minutes due to the lack of power-play opportunities, he helped the Avalanche create chances and maintain possession.
His coach, Jared Bednar, praised Mittelstadt’s effort and willingness to engage physically. Mittelstadt’s performance, along with Ross Colton’s, who scored the team’s second goal, has eased concerns about the Avalanche’s center depth behind Nathan MacKinnon.
Winnipeg’s center group, despite adding Sean Monahan, struggled to match the Avalanche’s production. Mittelstadt and Colton’s strong performances have given the Avalanche confidence in their ability to compete effectively down the middle.
Despite a costly mistake that led to Winnipeg’s third goal, Mittelstadt’s overall performance was impressive. Bednar stated that he would like to see Mittelstadt replicate his effort in Game 2 with added improvements.
The Avalanche will look to continue their strong play in Game 2, where Mittelstadt and Colton will aim to maintain their contributions and help the team secure a series lead.
