DENVER – The Arizona Coyotes paid a visit to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night and needed two points to improve the outlook in the playoff race.
They got one point in a loss to the Avs after the skills competition.
Colorado improved to 36-29-13 and are three points clear of the Coyotes for the second wild card spot.
Nathan MacKinnon had a power play goal for the Avs – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“The guys are pushing, we’re pushing, and trying to earn a playoff spot,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “The guys are hungry.”
Arizona has eight points on the table and really needs to win out to have a chance at this point.
“You can figure out the math,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “We needed two (points), but we got one to stay alive. Four games are left, and we need every point and every bit of help from other teams. We didn’t give up. Oliver did a great job of getting us back in the game.”
This was almost a regulation loss for the Coyotes who trailed 2-0 in the third period but were saved by defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson who had two strikes in the closing minutes including the game-tying goal with under a minute left in regulation to force extra time.
“We got back in the game by competing,” Ekman-Larsson said. “I got the goals that gave us a chance. We said that we have to keep working hard and that’s all we can do and maybe we’ll get back in the game. That’s what we did, and I think that could be a huge point at the end of the day. So we’ll take that one and move forward and hopefully get in the playoffs. It’s going to be a little bit harder now.”
The Avs were outshot, 20-7, in the third period.
“They threw more pucks at the net and that’s their system and it worked for them in the third period, but I didn’t think we gave up a lot,” Bednar said. “We have to find a way to continue to push and create offensively in the third period when we’re leading.”
Colorado’s power play was clicking with Nathan MacKinnon and Derick Brassard scoring on the special teams.
Philipp Grubauer made 42 saves to get the win.
“A little bit more interesting then we needed it to be, but it was good,” Grubauer said. “Huge two points.”
[WATCH: All Coyotes vs. Avalanche highlights]
Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves in the loss.
“Special teams play was big, and we lost the special teams battle (Arizona was 0-for-3 on the power play; Colorado was 2-for-4). Our mood hasn’t changed all year,” Coyotes forward Nick Cousins said. “We finish the season with four more games and at this point, we need all eight points.”
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