Watching a player writhe in pain might have been the best thing for the Avs’ mental health. Thursday night, goalie Scott Wedgewood fell awkwardly onto Sabres forward Zach Benson, who was pushed into the net. With Wedgewood in agony, the officials refused to stop play as the puck trickled toward the corner. Coach Jared Bednar blew a gasket. That moment, as unfortunate as it was, could serve as an alarm bell for the Avs. They finished the game angry, rallying from a two-goal deficit with 3:51 remaining. Talk to people in the building, and this felt like a playoff game. The crowd was full throat. The tension was real, amplified by Wedgewood’s injury and the wraparound goal allowed as he lay on the ice. We all know the Avs are talented, and that they are in a better place with two new goalies (fingers crossed Wedgewood won’t miss much time as the backup to Mackenzie Blackwood). But can this become a catalyst, a moment we look back on as the night the script flipped? The Avs boast a six-game winning streak and are 7-2-1 in their last 10, leaving them in a wild-card spot. They are better than that. This game can serve as a reminder, jogging their memory of who they once were and can still be. When the Avs trailed by two goals, Nathan MacKinnon was coaching in timeouts with blood dripping from the top of his nose. He had the grin of a Cheshire cat. There was a sense he wasn’t going to let the Avs lose. Two wristers and a breakaway later, the Avs had their most improbable win of the season. But I believe it was more than that. It felt like the start of something we are going to be talking about in June. Joke is on NBA: Nikola Jokic became the 33rd NBA player to reach 15,000 points before turning 30 years old. There is reason to believe he will win at least one more MVP, meaning that he should go down as one of the top-five players of all time. For those who watched the days of Orlando Woolridge and Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Jokic will never be taken for granted. Cam the Ram: Plenty of Broncos fans want Denver to draft Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo after his eye-opening performance in the Sun Devils’ Peach Bowl loss to Texas. He played his guts out, throwing up on the sideline. He is not the first college student to puke and rally. As for the draft, I like Skattebo, but not before the third round. SEC’s Fine Whine: The SEC can be insufferable with its arrogance and “It Just Means More” slogan. It makes their whining more enjoyable after the bowl season and early playoff rounds. There is only one SEC team remaining — and it is first-year member Texas. Michigan mauled Alabama — if an NFL GM drafts Jalen Milroe as his future quarterback, he should be fired — and Notre Dame suffocated Georgia. With NIL money available across the country, it is clear the SEC has lost its stranglehold on college football. Mail Time Not to beat a dead horse, but the running backs should have been fresh (in overtime against the Bengals) since again it was a committee. …  And I wish you would have given a paragraph in your column to that last three-and-out by the Broncos. I’m still scratching my head over those calls. To quote Kenny Chesney, “It’s always your favorite sin that will do you in.” That is a coach who almost can’t help himself. TK, Denver, via email Related Articles Sports Columnists | Avalanche expects Scott Wedgewood to “miss some time”; Trent Miner likely to get first NHL start soon Sports Columnists | Avalanche coach Jared Bednar sounds off on controversial goal after Scott Wedgewood injury: “The goal shouldn’t have counted” Sports Columnists | Devon Toews completes wild Avalanche comeback in 6-5 overtime win Sports Columnists | Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin will miss at least one game with lower-body injury Sports Columnists | Great goaltending, elite firepower: Avalanche could be primed for a second-half surge The Broncos have not had a 100-yard rusher since Sean Payton took over. He has a history of trusting running backs, but not these backs. And he can’t figure out which one he likes best. What the lack of balance and last possession show is how desperately the Broncos need more playmakers. There is no way they should leave free agency and the draft without a pass-catching tight end and a No. 1 receiver. If Payton wants to remain pass-happy, he needs to create a roster that fits his vision and whims. Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis.