Nathan MacKinnon-avalanche-avs-colorado-nhl-odds-betting odds-stanley cup-playoffs-Gabe Landeskog-Mikko Rantanen

May 21, 2021 By: Woody Paige

Woody Paige: Is the powerful Avalanche top line their best ever?

Outlined against a darkened mid-May roof, the Three Musketeers skated again.

In French literature lore they are known as Athos, Porthos and Aramis. But those are only aliases. Their real names are Nathaniel, Gabriel and Mikko.

The incredible inseparables coalesced in Game 1 of Lord Stanley’s playoffs to vanquish the Blues at “Puck Arena” as 7,741 screaming spectators peered down on the bewildering panorama spread on the ice.

My apologies to Alexandre Dumas, Grantland Rice and Joe Sakic for the mixed allegories.

Nate MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen on Monday night were the most elite three-piece band to play in downtown Denver since Oct. 6, 1968, when Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce performed at the old Auditorium Arena.

The Top Line will be back in concert Wednesday night, with assistance from its young D’Artagnan — defenseman Cale Makar. Those four pucketeers produced all of the goals — four — and points — nine — and 19 of the shots Monday.

Blues veteran center Tyler Bozak, a former University of Denver player, said of the Avalanche, but could have been speaking specifically about the foursome: “They keep coming. They come in waves.’’

Inside the rink Jordan Binnington must have felt like Trevor Berbick inside the ring against Mike Tyson. The St. Louis goalie survived 46 shots, but not three others. And, on the fourth goal, MacKinnon pounded the back of the empty net as if it were a dartboard.

Previously, Gabe scored on an immaculate deflection (off a howitzer through the crowd from Nate), contributed two assists and went all UFC on Brayden Schenn. After Schenn kneed Landeskog’s line mate Rantanen in the neutral zone, the Avalanche captain took the matter into his own hands, beating the Schenn out of the Blues forward with nine — count ‘em — punches until the knockdown and submission. Landeskog enthusiastically accepted the first major fighting penalty by the Avs in the postseason since 2004.

Before the brief Thrilla in Denva, Makar scored on a power play in the opening period. Then the Avalanche went into a 10-minute funk in the second period and permitted the Blues to tie.

However, just 30 seconds into the third period, MacKinnon scored, with, guess who, Landeskog and Rantanen awarded assists. Billington had held off the dam break as long as possible. But, at game’s conclusion, the St. Louis goal guardian wanted some of Avs goalie Philipp Grubauer, who had given a Billington buddy the business.

Billington finally was escorted away, but not until we were reminded of Patrick Roy taking on Red Wings’ goalie Mike Vernon in 1997 and his successor, Chris Osgood, the next year. Those bouts, as Monty Python’s Black Knight would suggest, were draws.

The hullabaloos couldn’t detract from the achievements of forwards MacKinnon, Landeskog and Rantanen, who have no equivalent as a front line in the NHL. They’ve already been All-Stars together. And if the cherished chalice is to be won, the three must continually duplicate the Monday effort for 15 more victories against the Blues, Golden Knights, a team from Canada and probably one more from a foreigner country — Florida.

Top Line was united Oct. 28, 2017, coinciding with the departure of Matt Duchene. The Avalanche had sunk to the depth of despair the season before with only 22 victories, and Duchene demanded a trade from the first line and the team.

On their first night together, the new triad supplied four goals and three assists in an easy defeat of the Blackhawks. They have only been separated by multiple injuries, COVID19 and infrequent decisions by coach Jared Bednar to change lines.

Following six of seven seasons out of the playoffs, now, with The Top Line, the Avs are in their fourth straight postseason and seeking a potential return to the glory of the franchise’s first decade in Colorado.

Are three high first-round draft choices on the same line the best of the rest with the Avs?

Not yet.

Not unless this line reaches the lines of 1996 and 2001, when the Avalanche won Stanley Cup titles. The Nate-Gabe-Mikko line has not advanced to the level of Peter Forsberg-Claude Lemieux-Valeri Kamensky and Joe Sakic-Milan Hejduk-Alex Tanguay. But the three are only 28, 25 and 24, and first-round picks Tyson Jost and Makar are barely 23 and 22.

These Avs would make the franchise’s original architect Pierre LaCroix, who died in December of coronavirus complications, immensely proud.

Led by the Avalanche’s three musketeers, Cream rises again.