Recap: Wagner Scores Lone Goal in 3-1 Loss to Avalanche

It was a game unlike any other for the Ducks over the last seven years, and one that ultimately did not go their way.
Playing without dependable left wing Andrew Cogliano for the first time since he arrived in Anaheim in the summer of 2011, penalties were the tale of the tape in a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center on Monday. The Ducks committed six penalties in the loss, their second defeat against the Avalanche this season.

Chris Wagner scored the lone goal and Ryan Miller made 26 saves in the loss for the Ducks, who fell to 20-16-9 (49 points). Anaheim remains outside of the playoff picture currently three points out of a coveted spot. J.T. Brown, claimed on waivers yesterday from the Tampa Bay Lightning, earned an assist in his Ducks debut wearing No. 71.
But the big news of the day (the past two days, really) was the two-game suspension given to Cogliano, who saw his 830 consecutive games played streak come to an end with the ruling given out by the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
Prior to the game, Cogliano spoke of his suspension. "It's a tough pill to swallow, I'm not going to lie," he said. "I've played hard and I've battled. I'm a professional in that I've played a long time and I've now missed a game." Here is the
full transcript of his interview,
plus notes on his consecutive games played streak.
Matt Nieto, Nathan MacKinnon and Colin Wilson scored for the Avs, who won for the seventh time in a row. Former Ducks goaltender Jonathan Bernier made 33 saves to improve Colorado's record to 24-16-3 (51 points).
The Avs opened the scoring at the 9:16 mark of the first period when Nieto's shot caromed off a broken stick in the slot and trickled across the stripe. It was the Long Beach, California native's eighth goal of the season and his third in the last five games.
Moments after Ryan Kesler was robbed by Bernier, the Avs rushed up the ice and took a 2-0 lead at the 9:39 mark of the second period when MacKinnon fired one in for his 20th goal of the season. MacKinnon used Cam Fowler as a screen when he unloaded his wrist shot from the high slot. Kesler's scoring chance would have tied the game if not for a desperation highlight-reel save from Bernier, who used the paddle of his stick to get a piece of Kesler's shot.
The Ducks responded a little more than three minutes later when Wagner jammed home a loose puck that inched across the stripe for his fifth goal of the season. Brown led the 3-on-2 rush with Wagner and Josh Manson, and the newest Duck was credited with the secondary assist in his Anaheim debut.

The Avs re-gained their two-goal lead with a power-play strike from Wilson with just 19.6 seconds left in the second period. Wilson has fared well over his NHL career when facing the Ducks. This marked his eighth goal and 15th point in 25 career games against Anaheim, the most goals scored against any team in his NHL career.
Despite pulling Miller with two minutes left in regulation, the Ducks were unable to make a dent in Colorado's lead. Anaheim will return home to open a five-game homestand beginning Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.