In Denver, the Avalanche’s Ivan Prosvetov made 27 saves in a 4-1 win over the St Louis Blues on Wednesday night.
It was the first for Colorado for Prosvetov since being claimed off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes.
“I liked our checking game. I like what we did,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “I liked the way we played, the energy, the intensity to our game, but there was a, I don’t know, call it a 10-minute stretch in the second period where it was a track meet. We were giving up some chances, and I thought [Prosvetov] was excellent.”
Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two points in the win.
“I think he was best player on the ice today, and when we had those breakdowns in the second period, he was really, really good and made some big saves,” Rantanen said. “I’ve been seeing it in the practice, too. He’s been solid in the practice. So, he’s been working hard.”
The victory put the Avs back in the win column after a two-game skid.
Ross Colton staked the Avs to a 1-0 lead at 8:53 of the first period.
“Our line’s (Miles Wood, Logan O’Connor) just been trying to preach, ‘Let’s play fast, play forward,'” Colton said. “Miles made nice play, and I just tried to kind of slant through the zone there. I’m fortunate enough that I just got a step on the guy and just tried to fire it on net. Luckily it went in.”
Rantanen pushed the advantage to 2-0 off the power play at 13:19.
“We made two bad puck decisions in the third period. It cost us the game. That’s basically what it boils down to,” St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. “Lost our coverage on the third goal chasing behind the net, but we could have moved that puck earlier and got out of there and we didn’t. And then the fourth goal, same thing. Was just a bad puck play and it was in our net. I thought our game was good up until then. First period, too. … We’re right in the game. We shot ourselves in the foot in the third.”
Robert Thomas was the lone striker for the Blues, his goal came at 17:49 of the middle frame to trim the deficit to 2-1 for St Louis.
“[Nick Leddy] skates it up, takes one guy to the net, [Pavel Buchnevich] takes the other guy to the net, and I get free in the slot. So great play by all those guys,” Thomas said. “Obviously, being down two in the first is not very good, but I think we responded well. We had a bunch of chances and made it close going into the third.”
Colorado replied with a pair of goals in the third period starting with Artturi Lehkonen at 1:41 of the period for a 3-1 lead.
“I feel like we were forechecking a little bit better. We were working harder, like getting pucks back,” Rantanen said. “Everybody was kind of chipping in, and the guys who didn’t score, they were playing well. So, I think everybody had a solid game.”
Bowen Byram scored with eight minutes gone in the period, the goal came off a turnover to make the final score, 4-10
Jordan Binnington made 24 saves in the Blues loss.
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