Six different goal scorers contributed for the Avalanche.
Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche welcomed the Florida Panthers into Denver after coming home from a road trip. This was the first of two regular-season matchups between these two teams, which the Avs won by a total score of 6-2 with goals from Sam Malinski, Brock Nelson, Gavin Brindley, Nathan MacKinnon Artturi Lehkonen and Gabe Landeskog.
Let’s take a look at all the action from tonight!
First Period
Sam Malinski was the one to get the scoring started for Colorado in this game, and he snuck the puck past Florida netminder Daniil Tarasov just over a minute into the first period. Martin Necas would find Malinski in the slot with a beautiful cross-ice feed, and Malinski was able to sneak it past the goalkeeper.
Noah Gregor would then respond for the Panthers, as he came flying into the Avalanche zone down the wing, and managed to elevate the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood to tie the game at 1-1 before the halfway mark of the first period.
Brock Nelson would the score the go-ahead goal for Colorado just before the end of the period, and what was ultimately the game-winning goal, as he battled in front of the Avalanche net and was able to just find some space between the goalie and the post, and poke the puck past Tarasov. Colorado held a 2-1 advantage at that time.
Second Period
Gavin Brindley would get in on the scoring action next, as Brent Burns once again turned back the clock, flew into the zone down the wing and put a shot on net, creating a big rebound for Brindley to jump on, as he was able to put it into a near empty net to go up 3-1.
Soon after Brindley scored, Nathan MacKinnon continued to add to his absolutely ridiculous season and gave Colorado a three-goal lead, as he let the puck fly from the point, and managed to beat Tarasov clean.
Gavin Brindley would get on the score sheet again on this goal, as he sprung Artturi Lehkonen for a breakaway, and when you have nothing but time and space in front of the net, that one’s pretty easy for Lehkonen, and it was suddenly 5-1. The game was pretty much over by that point but why not add a little meaningless drama with a Martin Nečas power play goal which was challenged by Florida and called back due to an offside call. The second period ended with Colorado up 5-1.
Third Period
Florida started off the period with an overturned goal of their own as Eetu Luostarinen had a kicked-in goal taken off the board. At this point Colorado could truly coast, but a little insurance is always nice, as Gabe Landeskog got on the board as he got to stare down an empty net, and that one is also pretty easy.
Florida would get a garbage-time goal as well, as AJ Greer was able to make a ridiculous pass to Mackie Samoskevich, who would put the puck into an empty net, to arrive at the final score of 6-2. Also, Nathan MacKinnon received a penalty shot late in the third period and his shot was saved by Tarasov, not that the Avalanche needed to pad their victory even more, and the game was finally over.
Takeaways
Let’s be honest, this game was over by the time the second period ended. Colorado got out to a really quick start in the first, and for a moment, this game looked like it might be a 3-1 win or a 4-3 overtime win after the Panthers responded and the Avs had to fight and claw a bit for the go-ahead goal. After the first period, though, Colorado just decided that the game was over, and scored accordingly, or that’s what it felt like anyway. In the third period, they were able to coast their way to another win and became the first team in the NHL to cross the 50-point threshold on the season. The one issue tonight, as it’s been for the past few games, was the power play once again. Martin Nečas dud technically score on the man advantage but Colorado officially went 0/3 on the night, Not that it rightly mattered in this game, given the final score, but the power play continued to struggle once again.
Upcoming
Next up, the Colorado Avalanche get another shot at the Nashville Predators, as those two teams play again on Saturday at Ball Arena. Puck drop will be at 7:00 p.m. MT.
Category: General Sports
