Logan O'Connor scored a short-handed goal in his third straight game, and the Colorado Avalanche won their fifth in a row to remain undefeated, 6-4 against the Carolina Hurricanes at Ball Arena on Saturday.
O’Connor became the first player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise history to have each of his first three goals in a season come while short-handed. He also had an assist.
Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Johansen and Nathan MacKinnon each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (5-0-0). Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jaccob Slavin each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (3-3-0), who are 2-3-0 entering the final game of a six-game road trip. Pyotr Kochetkov made 22 saves.
Kotkaniemi gave Carolina a 1-0 lead at 16:09 of the first period when he scored on a centering pass from between the circles.
Johansen tied it 1-1 on the power play at 19:54 after redirecting a crossing pass from MacKinnon with his skate at the back side of the net.
O’Connor put Colorado ahead 2-1 at 1:57 of the second period, scoring short-handed when he split the defense and backhanded the puck off Kochetkov and in.
Burns tied it 2-2 at 9:17 while on the power play when he beat Georgiev over the shoulder with a wrist shot from the right circle.
Bunting gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead at 10:42 off the second period after gathering a loose rebound, turning, and shooting it over the leg of Georgiev.
Fredrik Olofsson tied it 2-2 at 12:21 when the beat Kochetkov over the glove with a snap shot.
Lehkonen put the Avalanche ahead 4-3 at 14:10 with a power-play goal.
MacKinnon extended it to 5-3 at 15:57 of the second when he scored on a centering pass from Lehkonen from between the circles. Rantanen pushed it to 6-3 at 19:35 on the power play.
Slavin scored on a slap shot from above the left circle at 12:26 of the third period for the 6-4 final.
