Avalanche defeat Flames without MacKinnon

CALGARY --Valeri Nichushkin scored two power-play goals, and Darcy Kuemper made 44 saves for the Colorado Avalanche in a 2-1 win against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.

Devon Toews had two assists for the Avalanche (47-14-6), who are 6-1-1 in their past eight games and lead the Flames by 12 points for first in the Western Conference.
"Great win. Gutsy win by our group," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "I thought our team was highly committed on the defensive side of things. Power play steps up at the end gets us a big win."
The Avalanche are the first team to get 100 points this season and the ninth in the past 45 years to reach the mark in 67 games or fewer.
"I'm proud of our group to this point of the season," Bednar said. "I think a heightened since of urgency, commitment, purpose, buy-in from our group. I think it says everything. We're there for a reason and we've got to give the guys all the credit."
Tyler Toffoli scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 28 saves for the Flames (40-18-8), who lead the Los Angeles Kings by seven points for first in the Pacific Division.
"Five-on-five we were good," Calgary coach Darryl Sutter said. "I think we could have got around the net a little bit more and maybe get a tip or something like that. When you're playing against a defense like that, you've got to have a little bit of courage too."

Toffoli put Calgary ahead 1-0 at 9:31 of the second period with a one-timer from the top of the left circle on a 5-on-3 power play.
Nichushkin tied it 1-1 at 13:46 when Cale Makar's shot deflected off him in front. Makar is the third defenseman in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to have at least 50 assists in a season, joining Steve Duchesne (62 in 1992-93) and Ray Bourque (52 in 2000-01).
"Power play, we need them to step up," Bednar said. "It's going to be tight. That's how it works down the stretch and into the playoffs. It's hard to find space and create scoring chances at 5-on-5, and when you get one or two, you've got to try to capitalize on them."
Nichushkin put Colorado in front 2-1 at 10:52 of the third period when he redirected Mikko Rantanen's pass at the edge of the crease.
"It's 1-1 going into the third, and we take a penalty 200 feet from our goalie," Sutter said. "That's the difference in the teams.
"But you can't give up two and you can't give up one when it's 1-1 in the third. With the penalty killing, those are glaring individual mistakes."

Kuemper made a glove save on Rasmus Andersson's point shot with nine seconds remaining to preserve the win.
"Five-on-five, I thought we played pretty well first and second, and the third, they came out better than us, gave a push again," Calgary forward Mikael Backlund said. "Overall, it wasn't good enough."
Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon did not play because of an upper-body injury. Colorado was also without defensemen Ryan Murray (upper body) and Samuel Girard (lower body), and forward Gabriel Landeskog (knee surgery).
"Definitely a credit to the depth of the team," Kuemper said. "The willingness and ability for guys to step up their game and make up for the guys that are missing. Changing our approach to the game, obviously, really focusing on the defensive side of things tonight with some big offensive weapons missing. Just depth."
NOTES:Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk had an assist and has scored 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in a five-game point streak. ... Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen, who was acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on March 21, had three shots on goal and one hit in 12:53 of ice time.