The Colorado Avalanche got back into the win column on Tuesday night, topping the visiting New Jersey Devils 6–3 at Ball Arena. Forward Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar each recorded three-point nights, while netminder Alexandar Georgiev stopped 20 of 23 shots on goal. Ondrej Pavel made his NHL debut and recorded one shot on net in 6:59 of ice time.
The basics
Final score: Colorado 6, New Jersey 3
Location: Denver
Records: Colorado (8–3–0), New Jersey (7–4–1)
How it happened
— The Avalanche and Devils traded goals through the first 40 minutes, with New Jersey’s Tyler Toffoli opening the scoring just 3:43 into the game, wristing a bad-angle shot from the left side of the cage past Georgiev for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.
— Approaching the end of the first period, Colorado tied the game on Rantanen’s seventh marker of the season. Makar skated the puck in from the slot before finding the Finnish forward on the back door for a tip-in tally.
— A wild second period saw the two teams combined for four goals, beginning with Avalanche forward Ross Colton’s third of the season at the 2:25 mark of the frame. Miles Wood’s led a 2-on-1 rush and his initial attempt was turned aside by Devils netminder Vitek Vanecek, but a trailing Ross Colton cleaned up the rebound to put the Avalanche back in front.
— Colton was later assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct, cross-checking Timo Meier after boarding Luke Hughes, for which he also received a two-minute minor. The Devils scored twice on the power play, as did the former Devil, Wood, on a shorthanded breakaway.
— Colorado used a three-goal third period to skate past the Devils, with Ryan Johansen wristing home his fifth of the season at the 7:37 mark of the frame.
— Nathan MacKinnon made it a two-goal advantage for the Avalanche just over two minutes after Johansen’s goal, skating the puck in tight before going forehand-backhand to beat Vanecek.
— Rantanen added the dagger, his second of the night and eighth of the season, via the empty-netter from long distance.
Avalanche leaders
— Goals: Rantanen (2), Colton (1), Wood (1), Johansen (1), MacKinnon (1)
— Points: Rantanen (3), Makar (3), Wood (2), MacKinnon (2)
— Plus/minus: Makar (+4), Toews (+4), Rantanen (+3), Wood (+3), Nichushkin (+2)
Up next
The Avalanche will resume play on Thursday, hosting the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena in a rematch of Colorado’s 4–1 victory over Seattle back on Oct. 17. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. MST.
Highlights
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