Avalanche beat Flames in clash of West leaders

Valeri Nichushkin scored two power-play objectives and Darcy Keumper stopped 44 pictures because the Colorado Avalanche edged the Calgary Flames 2-1 Tuesday night time in a matchup of Western Convention division leaders.

“Gutsy win by our group,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar stated. “I believed our workforce was extremely dedicated on the defensive aspect of issues.

“Energy play steps up on the finish will get us an enormous win.”

Central Division-leading Colorado (47-14-6) gained the season collection 2-1. The Avalanche did so with out Nathan MacKinnon (decrease physique), their main scorer who was harm in a third-period struggle with Minnesota’s Matt Dumba on Sunday.

Nazem Kadri took MacKinnon’s spot on the Avs’ high line with Nichuskin and Mikko Rantanen. After going winless in his two earlier begins, Kuemper improved to 31-9-3.

“Undoubtedly a credit score to the depth of the workforce,” Kuemper stated. “The willingness and talent for guys to step up their recreation and make up for the fellows which are lacking.”

Tyler Toffoli scored for Pacific Division-leading Calgary (40-18-8). Jacob Markstrom (31-13-7) stopped 28 pictures. The Flames are 2-2-0 on a six-game homestand that continues Thursday in opposition to Los Angeles. The Kings are second within the Pacific, seven factors behind the Flames.

With the rating tied 1-1, Colorado capitalized on a tripping penalty to Elias Lindholm midway by way of the third interval. Mikko Rantanen noticed Nichushkin in entrance and despatched an ideal cross throughout the slot that Nichushkin steered behind Markstrom.

Colorado’s energy play has been deadly of late. The unit transformed 2 of three probabilities and moved to fifteen for 36 over the Avalanche’s final 12 video games (41.7%).

“Energy play, we want them to step up,” Bednar stated. “It’s going to be tight.

“That’s the way it works down the stretch and into the playoffs. It’s onerous to seek out area and create scoring probabilities 5 on 5 and once you get one or two (energy performs), you’ve obtained to attempt to capitalize on them.”

Calgary’s penalty kill struggled for a second straight recreation. The Flames have surrendered 5 power-play objectives of their final two video games.

“That’s two video games with very mushy, particular person errors,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter stated. “First one tonight, puck ought to go down the ice, forwards had two cracks at it.

“The second is only a straight learn by the defenseman. These are psychological errors. Quite simple.”

Mikael Backlund, a part of the Flames’ high penalty-kill pairing up entrance, stated it’s as much as Calgary to rebound subsequent recreation.

“We all know it may be higher,” he stated. “And we all know we’ve been actually strong all yr.

“We’ve had one or two video games through the yr the place much like this, we let too many in, and we rebounded and we play actually strong after that.”

Chris Tanev stated the Flames should get again to working tougher.

“We had been killing effectively till clearly letting three objectives in a interval in opposition to Edmonton and tonight was all particular groups they usually obtained two and we obtained one and that was the distinction within the recreation,” Tanev stated. “We’ve obtained to bear down on our clears, on our entries, and again to outworking PPs which are on the market.”

Calgary entered the sport 4 for 12 with a person benefit within the earlier 4 video games. However the Flames might solely convert certainly one of six probabilities in opposition to Colorado, together with two alternatives in seven minutes of the third, each on Kadri penalties. The latter got here with 16 seconds remaining.

The Flames opened the scoring at 9:31 of the second, capitalizing on a two-man benefit. They secured the 5-on-3 when Nichushkin obtained his stick into the arms of Rasmus Andersson 18 seconds into the primary energy play.

The Flames managed possession, however weren’t in a position to generate any good probabilities initially. However ultimately Andersson despatched a cross throughout that Toffoli one-timed contained in the goalpost from 30 toes.

Matthew Tkachuk additionally assisted on the purpose, giving him 12 factors (4 objectives, eight assists) throughout a five-game level streak.

The lead lasted lower than 5 minutes because the Avalanche responded with a power-play purpose. With Milan Lucic off for interference, Colorado tied it at 13:46 when Cale Makar’s shot deflected in off Nichushkin, who was screening Markstrom.

NOTES: Sean Monahan returned to the lineup for Calgary after being a wholesome scratch the final two video games. … Commerce deadline acquisition Arturri Lehkonen made his debut for the Avs. He centered a line with Andre Burakovsky and Alex Newhook. … Colorado D Samuel Girard (decrease physique) missed his ninth recreation. He’s again skating now.

UP NEXT

Colorado: Host San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Calgary: Host Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.