Avalanche Drop 3-2 Result to Blackhawks

The Colorado Avalanche dropped a 3-2 result to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at United Center. Colorado is now 20-17-3 on the season.

For the Avalanche, Evan Rodrigues and Cale Makar, scored. Nathan MacKinnon handed out two assists. In net, Pavel Francouz turned aside 27 of the 30 shots that he faced as he made his first start since Dec. 13 after suffering an injury that sidelined him. The Avalanche were joined on the trip with all of their respective Dads and Mentors.
For Chicago, Sam Lafferty, Andreas Athanasiou and Taylor Raddysh scored. Between the pipes, Petr Mrazek made 31 saves on 33 shots and also recorded an assist on Athanasiou's goal.

GAME SUMMARY:

Colorado suffered its fourth regulation loss in the last five games as they went 0-for-5 on the power as they chased the game early on. While they implemented a late rally to tie the score, the goal was overturned for goaltender interference and the Avalanche ultimately were unable to send the game into overtime and missed out on two points.
Early on in the first and second periods, the Avalanche dropped to a deficit, but as the period carried on, were able to recover to equalize the score headed into the final period of play.
Just 3:24 into the first period, the Blackhawks scored the game's icebreaker. The goal unfolded as Chicago forced a turnover in the Avalanche's offensive zone and Colin Blackwell collected the puck along the boards and sprung Lafferty for a breakaway. The Blackhawks forward skated into the lower left faceoff circle and wired a wrist shot under Francouz's glove to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.
The Avalanche didn't sit back - despite going 0-for-1 and eventually 0-for-2 on the power play in the first period - as they generated offense. They created a Grade A chance 11 minutes into the period as MacKinnon fed Rodrigues low in the slot and the winger toe-dragged across the crease before flipping the puck with his backhand on net, but Mrazek came up with the stop.

On the same shift, the Avalanche beat Mrazek on an effort by the same duo. From the left faceoff circle, MacKinnon fired a shot on net that Mrazek turned aside, but Rodrigues skated into the low slot and put the backhander past him for a 1-1 equalizer at 11:40.
They received a four-minute power play at 15:40 as Athanasiou took a high-sticking double minor, but Colorado's power play failed to convert and only mustered one shot. The Avalanche led shots 11-7 in the opening frame, while the Blackhawks blocked eight shots.
As the second period ensued, Colorado got off to a slow, unspirited start and the Blackhawks took advantage as they scored their second goal 1:44 into play and held the Avalanche without a shot through 11 minutes of play.
Chicago doubled its lead as Isaak Phillips sprung a cross-ice pass to Athanasiou in the neutral zone. The forward took his space, charged towards the net, dragged across the crease as Francouz slid to the backdoor and waited before popping his shot just barely over Francouz's glove.
Shortly after, the Blackhawks nearly extended their lead 3-1 as Athanasiou had a chance on the backdoor, but Francouz made the pad save with his leg extended.
The Avalanche then had to kill off two penalties at 5:52 and 8:52, which they successfully did in order to keep themselves down by just one goal and which poised themselves for the 2-2 equalizer at 11:47 from Makar.

On Colorado's third shot of the period, Rantanen and Makar exchanged passes. With the puck on his stick from distance, Makar fired a long-range wrist shot past Mrazek and a netfront screen by Alex Newhook to tie the score.
Late in the middle frame, Newhook took a puck to the face off an attempted feed by Devon Toews that deflected off the skate of a Chicago skater. After being tended to on the ice, Newhook left for the room, but returned for the third period.
Chicago once again regained their lead relatively early in the third period as Raddysh tapped in a feed from Tyler Johnson at 6:36. On a defensive zone breakdown, Jonathan Toews found Johnson across the slot, who centered a pass from the left faceoff circle past Makar to the backdoor. Unmarked at the far post, Raddysh tapped the puck past the left pad of Francouz to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead and the eventual game-winning goal.
The Avalanche received their fifth power play of the night at 11:17, but they weren't able to convert and went 0-for-5 on the man advantage.
Colorado seemingly tied the score up 3-3 at 15:09 as Newhook shot a loose puck from the slot, and followed up on the rebound to bury the puck past Mrazek, but the goal was successfully challenged for goaltender interference by Chicago and overturned.

Tweet from @Avalanche: The shot vs. The reaction#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/2n5migvYW9

NOTEWORTHY:

• Rodrigues tallied his 10th goal of the season.
• Makar totaled his 11th goal of the season and extended his point streak to four games where he has compiled five points (2G, 3A) in that span.
• MacKinnon handed out two assists and extended his point streak to four games where he has totaled five points (2G, 3A) in that stretch.
• Francouz made his 10th start of the season and his first start since Dec. 13 after suffering an injury that sidelined him. The Czech netminder while his record to 4-6-0
• Colorado finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
• Andreas Englund, Denis Malgin, and Valeri Nichushkin were scratches for the Avalanche.

NEXT GAME:

The Avalanche return to Ball Arena for a two-game homestand as they host Ottawa on Saturday night. The puck drops between the Avs and Senators at 5 p.m. MT.