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Following a disappointing 5-4 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev found himself in the crosshairs of frustrated fans.
The defeat, marked by a stunning comeback from the Coyotes, left fans questioning Georgiev's performance as Jack McBain's last-minute goal sealed the victory for the underdog Arizona team at Mullett Arena on Wednesday.
McBain's game-winning goal, crashing the net with the puck bouncing off his body after a shot by Jason Zucker, capped off an improbable comeback for the Coyotes, who rallied with five consecutive goals. Sean Durzi and Lawson Crouse each contributed significantly to the Coyotes' resurgence, leaving the Avalanche and their fans in disbelief.
The negativity directed towards Alexandar Georgiev stemmed from the fact that the Avalanche had built a comfortable 4-0 lead during the game. However, the momentum drastically shifted, and the Coyotes mounted a stunning comeback, eventually tying the game and forcing it into overtime.
Fans expressed their frustration with Alexandar Georgiev, who made 23 saves but couldn't prevent the Coyotes from erasing the substantial deficit.
The Arizona comeback started with Crouse's redirection at 16:31, followed by goals from Michael Kesselring, Jason Zucker, and Sean Durzi. The tying goal, in particular, came with just 6-on-5 on the ice, putting the Avalanche at a numerical disadvantage. As the Coyotes completed their comeback, the frustration among Avalanche fans grew, and Georgiev became a focal point for their disappointment.
Georgiev, making 23-of-28 saves, faced a barrage of shots in the latter part of the game, and the inability to secure the win left fans questioning his role as a goaltender for a team with high aspirations. The criticism intensified as the Avalanche squandered a commanding lead, raising concerns about the team's ability to close out games effectively.
Avalanche's goaltending dilemma between Alexandar Georgiev and Ivan Prosvetov
With the injury to Pavel Francouz, the Colorado Avalanche have had to rely on youth this season in net. Alaxandar Georgiev, who played the majority of games in 2022-23, has failed to live up to his stellar numbers set last season. His save percentage has dropped to .896 from .918 last season.
The Colorado Avalanche have also relied on a rookie in Ivan Prosvetov to fill in for the injured Francouz. In 10 games this season, Prosvetov has a 4-3-1 record with a .906 save percentage. If the Avalanche want to make another deep run, they'll need more consistency in net.
