In Denver, the Colorado Avalanche moved within one point of the to spot in the Central Division on Wednesday, on the strength of Pavel Francouz‘s 27 saves in a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders.
Andre Burakovsky had a goal for the Avalanche – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“We needed to get back on the winning side of things,” Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog said. “The homestand has been a little bit up and down and we found ways to lose games. This was well needed and big to finish up the homestand this way.”
The Isles have lost four straight.
“We’re not obviously scoring,” New York coach Barry Trotz said. “They jumped on us early. They came out with a better purpose at home and their big guys were dangerous early. We gave up a goal, I thought [Varlamov] kept us in it in the first. Our game settled down in the second and third, but it’s not coming easy for us.
“Right now, we’re going through some adversity, some guys are drying up and we need people to step up. All that being said, the only people that are going to help us are the people in the room, our group, and we’re just going to have to find a way. We can’t do anything to repair this trip, but we can repair our next game and the following game.”
Brock Nelson had the only goal for the Isles, a lipstick goal late in the third period.
“I was telling my father today I’m going to get him a shutout, so I’m really sad that it didn’t work out,” Francouz said.. “I’m really happy we won, that’s the most important thing.”
Joonas Donskoi, Andre Burakovsky and Landeskog were the Avs’ strikers.
“We got after them and created a lot of scoring chances,” Landeskog said. “This is a team that you need to get a lead on and score first because they’re so well structured defensively. If they get a lead, they’re not going to give up much.”
[WATCH:Â All Islanders vs. Avalanche highlights]
Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves in the loss.
“We have to move on and stick together,” the Islanders’ Anders Lee said. ” We’re fighting until the end. This has been a brutal four-game stretch and we’re having a tough time with it. I don’t think any of this tough stretch right here is going to be what knocks us down. That’s not who we are as a group, that’s not who we are as the New York Islanders.”
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