Johansson gets first NHL shutout for Avalanche against Ducks

ANAHEIM -- Jonas Johansson made 28 saves for his first NHL shutout, and the Colorado Avalanche won 2-0 against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Friday.

Johansson was making his third start for Colorado since he was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 20 for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. It was his 14th NHL start.
"Just happiness right now," Johansson said of his postgame emotions.
Valeri Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen scored for Colorado (27-9-4), which has won six of seven and has a point in 16 of its past 17 games (14-1-2).
"I wasn't loving our energy and our execution, but we'll take the two points and, hopefully, be a lot better in a couple days," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.

The teams will play again here Sunday.
John Gibson made 33 saves for Anaheim (12-22-7), which is 1-3-1 in its past five games.
"I was impressed with our effort and attention to detail," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "But still, we'd like to get on the other side of that game."
Gibson has allowed one goal three times in his past four starts.
"He quietly went about his business," Eakins said of Gibson. "When needed, he was there to answer the bell."
Anaheim went on its first power play at 13:08 of the second period, but Cam Fowler and Jakob Silfverberg of the Ducks were called for holding penalties over the next 1:07, wiping out the power play and giving the Avalanche a brief 5-on-3.
The Ducks killed the penalties, but Nichushkin gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead shortly afterward.
Nichushkin got open in the slot and scored on a one-timer off a feed from Ryan Graves at 17:12.
Rantanen scored his Colorado-leading 23rd goal of the season into an empty net to make it 2-0 with 34 seconds left.
"I didn't think that we had a lot of jump tonight," Bednar said. "It seemed like our energy was on a little bit on the low side, but we did get better as the game went on."

Johansson, who was 0-5-1 in six starts with the Sabres this season, improved to 2-0-1 with the Avalanche.
"For Jonas to come in and do the job he did tonight was impressive, especially considering our team wasn't at its best and lacked some energy," Bednar said. "Great job by him."
Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer had started 32 of 40 games this season but was given the night off after allowing seven goals on 18 shots before he was replaced by Johansson in an 8-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
"I felt like we really didn't have the legs tonight," Johansson said. "We didn't really have the passing game, but we still managed to get the job done and I think that's what good teams do on tough days."
NOTES: Avalanche defenseman Jacob MacDonald served the first of a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Wild forward Ryan Hartman on Wednesday. ... Colorado defenseman Keaton Middleton had one shot on goal, one hit and one blocked shot in 10:41 in his NHL debut after he signed as a free agent March 31. ... The Avalanche acquired defenseman
Patrik Nemeth
from the Detroit Red Wings on Friday for a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. ... Ducks forward Rickard Rakell returned after missing the past four games with an upper-body injury and had an Anaheim-high five shots on goal. ... Ducks forwards Isac Lundestrom and Derek Grant each was a late scratch. Lundestrom had appendicitis, and Grant had flu-like symptoms. .... Anaheim recalled forward Chase De Leo from San Diego of the American Hockey League. He was minus-3 with one shot on goal and one hit in 13:20 in his season debut. ... Anaheim forward Ryan Getzlaf missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury.