DENVER — Sports are largely the theatre of the unexpected.
We’ve seen it throughout history, from Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson to the Arizona Diamondbacks beating the New York Yankees in the World Series. More recently, the Milwaukee Brewers reminded us that money doesn’t guarantee success, spending $146.2 million less than the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers over the past two years before sweeping them out of the National League Championship Series.
The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena. T.J. Hughes scored his first goal, Nathan MacKinnon had a four-point night, Artturi Lehkonen is off to the best start of his professional career, and Mackenzie Blackwood is making his critics look foolish.
Things are going well for Colorado. But Monday’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers is the kind of game the Avalanche cannot afford to take lightly.
Philadelphia has yet to win through its first nine games. Suggesting that a winless team could pose a serious threat might sound ridiculous, but I’ve covered sports long enough, particularly boxing, to know that records don’t always tell the whole story.
Just ask Anthony Joshua.
When Andy Ruiz Shocked the Boxing World
In 2019, Joshua was widely considered the king of the heavyweight division. The British fighter and 2012 Olympic gold medalist held three of boxing’s four major world titles, with Deontay Wilder holding the fourth. Despite years of anticipation, Joshua and Wilder never fought.
Joshua was preparing to make his American debut against undefeated contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller in New York. Miller, who was promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions, was supposed to be Joshua’s opponent for a major world title defense.
I had a personal connection to the promotion through my friend Clifford Mass, an investor in the company who also served as its vice president of business development.
On April 16, 2019, I received information from multiple sources that Miller had scored a pair of hat-tricks—but not the kind celebrated on the ice.
Miller failed three separate drug tests, testing positive for three different performance-enhancing substances: EPO, human growth hormone, and GW1516. He had previously failed a drug test as a kickboxer and had refused testing on another occasion.
I texted Mass what I knew to be true. His response, following a string of profanities, was memorable: “You just delivered the worst news I’ve gotten in a long time. Oh well.”
Miller was pulled from the card, leaving promoters scrambling for a replacement.
Enter Andy Ruiz Jr.
Ruiz was undefeated and had remarkably fast hands, but his physique didn't fit the typical image of a heavyweight champion. Some observers made jokes about his build, comparing it to a stack of jelly rolls. Few expected him to beat Joshua.
What happened in the ring, however, was nothing short of stunning
Joshua scored an early knockdown, and it looked as though the fight might go according to plan. But he became reckless, at times appearing to admire his own work rather than remain focused on Ruiz. The challenger took advantage, dropping Joshua four times before stopping him in the seventh round in one of the biggest upsets in modern sports history.
That's what makes this story relevant to Colorado.
The Flyers Have Already Burned Colorado Once
On paper, the Avalanche have a significant advantage over Philadelphia. Colorado's 36 goals are tied for the NHL lead with the Vegas Golden Knights, the same team that swept the Avalanche out of the Western Conference Final this season.
The Flyers, meanwhile, have scored just 11 goals through nine games, the fewest in the league. Their 33 goals allowed also ranked third-worst in the NHL as of publication, behind only the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.
But a struggling team can still have players capable of changing a game in a hurry. And the Flyers have already shown Colorado what that looks like.
On January 23 at Ball Arena, Philadelphia handed the Avalanche a 7-3 loss. Owen Tippett recorded a hat trick and an assist, while Matvei Michkov had two goals and an assist. Denver Barkey and then-Flyer Bobby Brink also scored.
Colorado fell behind 2-0 in the first period but fought back, scoring three times in the second to tie the game at 3-3. Then everything fell apart. Philadelphia scored four times in the final period, turning a competitive game into a blowout that head coach Jared Bednar described as “horrible.”
The Flyers were 23-17-9 at the time, so they weren't the winless team we're seeing now. Still, the result should serve as a reminder that Philadelphia can hurt Colorado when the Avalanche make mistakes.
And that's been a concern for Colorado at times. The Avalanche have occasionally played down to their opposition, leading to costly turnovers and defensive breakdowns. Against a team desperate for its first win, those mistakes could be all the encouragement Philadelphia needs.
The last thing Colorado wants is to hand the Flyers their first victory of the season. A 7-3 loss to a winless opponent would be an ugly result, especially for a team with championship aspirations.
No Game Is Won on Paper
The Avalanche have more than enough talent to win this matchup. MacKinnon and the offense are producing, Hughes is finding his footing, Lehkonen is playing some of the best hockey of his career, and Blackwood has been answering his critics.
But none of that matters if Colorado takes its foot off the gas.
Joshua was the heavyweight champion, and Ruiz was the replacement almost nobody expected to win. Yet Ruiz seized his opportunity, and Joshua never recovered.
Colorado doesn't need to fear Philadelphia, but it does need to respect the matchup. The Flyers have struggled badly, yet they've beaten the Avalanche convincingly before. That alone should be enough to get Colorado's attention.
Monday should be a game the Avalanche expect to win. The challenge is making sure they don't start playing as though they've already won it.
Because sports have a funny way of punishing teams that underestimate their opponents. And the Avalanche have already seen what can happen when the unexpected becomes reality.
