Avalanche String Together Third-Straight Win with 4-1 Victory Over Flames

String em' together.
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Saddledome. Colorado is now 23-17-3 on the season and have won three-straight games in regulation.

For the Avalanche, Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen each scored twice; Lehkonen's brace included one goal on the power play, while Mikko Rantanen (2G, 1A) added an empty-net goal in addition to his even-strength strike. Nathan MacKinnon, Compher and Devon Toews each handed out two assists. Erik Johnson eclipsed the 900-game milestone. Cale Makar missed his first game of the season due to injury and is listed as day-to-day.
In Colorado's net, Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 34 of the 35 shots.The Avalanche utilized a lineup of 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the third-straight game.
For the Flames, Tyler Toffoli scored on the power play. Between the pipes, Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves on 30 shots.

GAME SUMMARY:

For the third-straight game, the Avalanche picked up a win in regulation to claim a precious two points in the standings as they continued to play to their identity and stay committed to their defensive details. Colorado has also outscored its opponents 17-4 in its last three games.
The Avalanche came out with the dominant start against Calgary as they took a 3-0 lead, scoring two goals at even strength and producing one goal on the power play.
Colorado secured the game's icebreaker at 6:17 as the Avalanche regained possession of the puck - after briefly losing it - in the offensive zone. J.T. Compher sent a feed from past the faceoff circles to the top of the right faceoff circle to Rantanen. The Finnish winger blasted a one timer short side of Markstrom.

The Avalanche - who were unsuccessful on a power play opportunity they received at 7:50 - then doubled their lead 2-0 at 11:09 as MacKinnon chased down the puck off a Calgary offensive zone faceoff win before MacKenzie Weegar could get to it. MacKinnon accelerated up ice on a two-on-one rush. The centerman fired a shot at Markstrom as two Flames players checked backwards to eliminate the pass across the slot to Lehkonen, but Lehkonen tapped the rebound in that Markstrom gave up from MacKinnon's initial shot at 11:01.

Just 1:02 later, Colorado received its second power play of the night and capitalized with another strike from Lehkonen for his 14th goal of the season. Rantanen carried the puck into the Avalanche's offensive zone and played it out to the left wall for Lehkonen. After winning a wall battle, Lehkonen sent the puck to Devon Toews, who immediately passed to MacKinnon. From atop the right faceoff circle, MacKinnon sent a straight pass down to the near post. Rantanen attempted to redirect the puck across the net front, but it deflected off his stick into the end boards and shot out to the backdoor where Lehkonen tapped it in on the doorstep at 12:58 to extend Colorado's lead 3-0.

Neither Avalanche nor the Flames found the back of the net in a relatively low-event second period, but Calgary cut its deficit down 3-1 early in the third period with a power play goal. At 1:46, Logan O'Connor was sent to the box for hooking. On the Flames' man advantage, Rasmus Andersson and Tyler Toffoli exchanged passes and from atop the left faceoff circle, Tofolli lobbed a high shot past Georgiev as it passed a netfront screen set up by Elias Lindholm at 2:27.
The Avalanche were able to lock down the remainder of the game and dictate play as they held a 13-3 shot advantage in the final period. They also added an empty-net strike from Rantanen at 19:02, which was awarded as he was slashed by Nikita Zadorov while he drove to the empty net. In place of a penalty shot, the Avalanche received an empty-net goal.

NOTEWORTHY:

• Rantanen buried his 30th and 31st goals of the season. Rantanen became the fastest player to reach 30 goals as he did so in just 43 games. This also marks his third-straight season of producing 30-plus goals.
• Lehkonen scored his 13th and 14th goals of the season (seventh goal on the power play) and his fourth and fifth goals in his last three games.
• MacKinnon dished out two assists and extended his point streak to six games where the centerman has produced 12 points (3G, 9A) in that stretch.
• Makar missed his first game of the season due to injury and is listed as day-to-day. The defenseman was riding a six-game point streak - where he compiled 10 points (4G, 6A) in that span - prior to the injury.
• Jacob MacDonald drew in place of Makar and was paired alongside Kurtis MacDermid, totaled 10:38 minutes and fired two shots.
• Georgiev made his 31st start of the season and improved his record to 17-11-3.
• Colorado finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.
• Darren Helm (lower body) and Makar (injury) were scratches for the Avalanche.

NEXT GAME:

The Avalanche continue their three-game western swing as they travel to Vancouver for a Friday-night matchup and first leg of a back-to-back set. The puck drops between the Avs and Canucks at 8:00 p.m. MT.