A slow start from the Avs after a resounding win over the Washington Capitals on Monday, the Avs find themselves back in the loss column – though with a point (#brightside) – after taking the Anaheim Ducks to a shootout.
Alex Killorn played in his 1,000th game tonight. Lukas Dostal and Scott Wedgewood each started and played well for their respective teams.
Colorado held Anaheim to just four shots on goal in the first period. Of the nine they peppered Lukas Dostal with, two of them were high-danger chances, but none were goals. Both teams head into the second period with nothing on the board.
The Ducks change that just a minute and a half into the second frame. Cutter Gauthier finds Jeffrey Viel coasting up the middle unmarked. Viel takes advantage of a moving screen in front of Wedgewood, picks his spot, and scores on just Anaheim’s fifth shot of the game.
More great saves from Dostal are all that happen for the rest of the second and a large part of the third period…
…that is, until late in the period. 3:39 to go in regulation, and the Avs finally break through Dostal! A timely goal from Artturi Lehkonen gives what has been a sleepy game from the Avs just a little bit of life.
No one can get it done in five minutes of overtime, either, despite a few really good opportunities going both ways.
Ultimately, Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gautier were able to find the back of the net in the shootout, and none of the Avs were. 2-1 final.
Lukas Dostal. That’s it.
All of the credit in the world goes to Ducks’ goaltender Lukas Dostal for putting up a heck of a performance tonight.
35+ saves tonight, 12 of which were high-danger (in regulation).
Ross Colton, Zakhar Bardakov, and Nathan MacKinnon all put up some really quality chances on him throughout the 60 minutes of regulation hockey, and he rose to the occasion.
Ross Colton can’t buy a goal
This exact goal is a prime example of the kind of execution Ross Colton is capable of.
Ross Colton was visibly – and understandably – frustrated after Dostal stonewalled this opportunity.
Colton has not scored since November 26th, when the Avs hosted the San Jose Sharks.
He led the team with 5 shots tonight, and was unable to find the scoresheet on a single one of them, largely due to Dostal’s incredible night.
