In Denver. the AValanche took a 3-1 lead over the visiting Buffalo Sabres in the opening stanza on Wednesday night and cruised to a 5-1 win.
Ivan Prosvetov made 29 saves in the win.
“When a player goes through what he would call a slump, and I think he was still over a point a game but not real happy with the way maybe he was playing, his line was playing, they just kind of stuck with it and worked through it together and now they’re kind of out the other side,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “They were working at it long before they got good, and then it started to come for them, and now they’re feeling it a little bit. So, I think confidence and just playing the right way and doing the right things leads to really good results for them.”
The Avalanche improved to 18-9-2.
Colorado took a 3-0 lead out of the gate in the first period.
Millo Rantanen opened the offense at at 5:25 for a 1-0 advantage to the Avs.
Valeri Nichushkin, who had a double on the night, pushed the lead to 2-0 midway through the first.
“Val’s start to the game was insane,” Bednar said. “I mean, he gets two partial breakaways charging through the middle of the ice. He probably could have had four goals in the first eight minutes of the game, and eventually he gets rewarded for his work
Miles Wood ballooned the lead to 3-0 at 11:55 before the Sabres could muster a reply.
“[Sam Malinski s] did a little poke check there, and it just kind of freed me up there 2-on-1,” Wood said. “Basically had the whole ice, and I just shot low blocker side. Fortunate to get the goal there.”
Zach Benson was the lone striker for Buffalo, his goal with 1:22 left in the first cut the deficit to 3-1.
“Really that was a perfect first period for us,” Bednar said. “I thought the third was a really mature period. We didn’t have to do a lot, and Malinsky gets a big goal, right? Like, that’s a big goal to stretch it out to 4-1, and then they’re the team that has to push and we can just kind of make sure we’re playing it safe. And so, I liked the finish to our game as well.”
Buffalo dropped to 12-15-3.
“We win the opening draw, we can’t move it up to make a simple play to get in, and that kind of exemplified the night. There was simple and direct to be had right there, and we didn’t do it,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “When we work, we’re a decent hockey team, so yeah, it’s maddening. It’s maddening every night when that doesn’t happen.”
After a scoreless middle frame, the Avs posted two more goal in the third.
Malinski hit for his first career NHL goal at 2:40 of the third for a 4-1 lead to the Avs.
“I saw it go low to high up to Jack (Johnson), and I think he saw me wide, but he was kind of trying to show a little deception and slid it over at the perfect time,” Malinski said. “I just kind of tried to throw it on net to be honest.”
Nichushkin hit for his double at 13:11 to make it 5-1 for the final count.
“He didn’t tell me that before the game. He was working hard, like all morning. I’m like, ‘Something’s going to happen,’ and then 100 goals,” Prosvetov said. “So, it’s good for him. Great guy, great attitude too. Works hard. It’s good to see him get rewarded with this 100th.”
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 24 saves in the loss.
You must be logged in to post a comment.