One last regular season road trip for the Colorado Avalanche was on the docket as they faced the Edmonton Oilers who still had something to play for with none of the seeding determined in the Pacific division. As much as the Oilers needed those two points, the Avalanche came to play stealing the second point in a 2-1-shootout win.
Nathan MacKinnon netted the shoutout winner but unfortunately doesn’t help him secure the Rocket Richard trophy with two games to go.
The Game
Early jump went to Edmonton
as Scott Wedgewood had to make a couple big early saves to keep the Oilers off the board. By the midpoint Colorado found some energy and even earned a power play by the end of the period but Wedgewood made the biggest stop shorthanded to keep the game in a 0-0 tie at the first intermission.
The second frame looked like the first with Colorado gathering momentum despite not scoring on the power play. Finally after nearly half a scoreless game the Avalanche broke through from Sam Malinski. Edmonton got the goal back before the end of the period as the Jack Ahcan and Nick Blankenburg pair left Connor McDavid wide open at the right of the net. A 1-1 tie is how the second period ended.
For the final third of the game special teams was on order as Colorado started with an unsuccessful power play and then Edmonton was given a 5-on-3 which they didn’t cash in on either. Both Wedgewood and Connor Ingram made some great saves to get this 1-1 game to overtime.
The extra frame wasn’t any different as the Avalanche were given a power play after Kasperi Kapanen was given an interference penalty for running into Wedgewood. Still, the Avalanche couldn’t cash in seeing their man advantage go 0/4 on the night in some prime opportunities and as time ran out a shootout was needed.
The goalies must have been tired with 31 saves made each at that point because both Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored on Wedgewood. All three of Val Nichushkin, Martin Nečas and Nathan MacKinnon converted for Colorado and the 2-1 win was secured.
Takeaways
It was Brock Nelson’s 1000th career NHL game in this contest. Surely there will be a ceremony back in Denver for Nelson and his family.
So much for rest in a truly meaningless game in the first half of a back-to-back as Devon Toews played 31 minutes this evening and other top players such as Martin Nečas at 29, Nathan MacKinnon and even Gabe Landeskog at 24 minutes. Perhaps they don’t need to play in Calgary?
Upcoming
A rematch with the Calgary Flames tomorrow night at the Saddledome, puck drop is at 7 p.m. MT.
