The Colorado Avalanche lost to the Arizona Coyotes 4–3 in overtime at Mullett Arena on Thursday despite tying the game in the third period.
Mikko Rantanen had two points (0–2—2) and was the highest-scoring forward for Colorado, with his ninth multi-point game of the season. Cale Makar was the highest-scoring defenseman with two points (1–1—2). He tied the franchise record for most assists (21) in a single month and moved into second place among franchise defensemen in career assists (208).
Alexandar Georgiev made his 19th start of the season and stopped 29 of 32 shots on goal.
Makar opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season late in the first period. After Valeri Nichushkin and Rantanen passed to Makar at the point, the former Norris Trophy winner fired a bomb and into the Arizona net. With a secondary assist on the play, Nichushkin extended his career-best point streak to nine games.
The Coyotes had better efforts to start all three periods and scored in the middle frame via Travis Boyd’s second tally of the season to even the score at 1–1.
The Avalanche jumped back in front less than two minutes later, with Miles Wood powering his way to the net and tucking the puck past netminder Connor Ingram. The goal marked Wood’s fourth of the season and snapped a five-game goalless streak.
Arizona tied the game late in the second period and scored the go-ahead goal on a wrap-around early in the third period. Liam O’Brien was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on Josh Manson midway through the final frame. The two dropped the gloves in a momentum-shifting tilt for Colorado, who capitalized on the man advantage via Nathan MacKinnon’s one-timer from the left dot.
However, the Avalanche lost in overtime with 21 seconds left in the extra session. It appeared that Makar tried to push a loose puck back to Georgiev, but the chaos in front caused the puck to go five hole and into his own net. Arizona’s Nick Bjugstad was credited with the goal.
Analysis
The Avalanche had a sloppy second period which led to them playing catch up, but despite this, Jared Bednar’s squad dropped their first overtime game of the season. The only other game which required overtime was a 2–1 shootout victory over San Jose in the second game of the season.
Colorado was able to convert on two of their three power play chances, extending their streak to nine games with a power play goal. During that streak, the Avalanche have connected on 27.5% (11 of 40) of their power plays. Additionally, Thursday marked the third time this season in which the Avalanche scored at least two power play goals.
The Avalanche were outshot for just the eighth time this season and forced 31 shots on goal against the Coyotes. Colorado has had 30-plus shots on goal in 12 of their first 22 games and has gone 8–3–1 over that stretch.
Up next
The Avalanche will look to get back into the win column in the first leg of a back-to-back in Southern California on Saturday. The Avalanche and Ducks will drop the puck from the Honda Center at 8 p.m. MST.
Highlights
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