In Anaheim Thursday night, the Colorado Avalanche were riding a second period goal from Gabriel Landeskog for a 1-0 lead until the Ducks rallied with two goals in the third period.
Hampus Lindholm‘s power play goal early in the third tied it 1-1.
The rally came after the Ducks left everything on the ice after 20 minutes of play in a scoreless opening frame.
Anaheim launched 22 shots on Calvin Pickard who stopped them all; Pickard had 34 saves total on the night.
“The whole first period he kept us scoreless,” Landeskog said. “The second period we dominated and took over the game, and the third, it is what it is. [Pickard] played great. He played unbelievable and gave us a chance to win.”
The game-winner came with under five minutes left in regulation when Nick Ritchie converted from the slot after a turnover by the Avs in the zone.
The Ducks’ Ondrej Kase picked up the errant puck and fed Ritchie for the winner.
“It was kind of a broken play,” Ritchie said. “Kase made a good pass. I was just in the slot and shot it through a bunch of guys.”
The game featured a delay when the glass behind the Ducks net was shattered by a puck. The delay was 45 minutes while workers cut the glass to fit.
It came as the Avs were controlling the play.
“I think it was a real bonus for our group that we got to get a break,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “Definitely the game was going in their favor, all the momentum was going in their direction.
“It’s hard when you’ve got a break like that. Those are the things that happen in sports and you just move on from it.”
The teams were sent to their locker rooms and the balance of the second period was played after intermission.
“It was a long break and a different third period. Other than that I thought it was pretty funny. Most of us did. We didn’t take it too seriously. I’m sure the crew was doing their best to fix the glass.” — Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog
WATCH: All Avalanche vs. Ducks highlights
John Gibson made 21 saves in the win.
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