Johansen scores twice, Avalanche defeat Lightning

DENVER -- Ryan Johansen scored twice for the Colorado Avalanche, who won their fourth straight game with a 4-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena on Monday.

Cale Makar had a goal and an assist, and Alexandar Georgiev made 37 saves for the Avalanche (15-6-0), who have won seven of their past eight games.

“I liked our game. We had a couple of big breakdowns that I didn't like, but for the most part I felt like we were checking and doing the right things and playing hard,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "They got something to say about it, but I liked our game on both sides of the puck today. We [won] the special teams battle again.”

Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning (10-7-5), who had their five-game point streak end (4-0-1). Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves.

“We didn't show push back until the last two minutes of the game. That was the disappointing part tonight,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “I don't know if it's all the travel we've been doing or what's gone on, but it was just one of those games where we weren't really in it from the beginning. Our execution was lackluster at best, and when you don't execute, it's tough to play.”

Johansen gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 7:12 of the first period. Victor Hedman fell down at center ice, allowing Johansen to pick up the puck and skate into the right circle, where he elected to shoot blocker side on a 2-on-1.

“I always look pass first and kind of try and survey that option,” Johansen said. “I felt, just like you said, he was really taking care of [Jonathan Drouin] over there, so I figured I'd shoot it.”

Johansen then made it 2-0 at 1:48 of the second period when he finished the rebound of Tomas Tatar’s shot into an open net.

“That was like slow motion. It just kind of popped out there and no one seemed to know where it was but me,” he said. “So I'm just happy I didn't mess it up.”

Makar extended the lead to 3-0 at 3:35 with a wrist shot from the point through a screen on a power play.

“I think there's still a lot more we can do in order to create more and generate more,” Makar said of the power play. “Whether it's just less movement, more movement, I think we'll take a look at it, but I think for us it all starts with having that attack mentality.”

Michael Eyssimont appeared to score for Tampa Bay at 8:12, but Bednar challenged the play for offside, and the call was reversed after a video review.

“We were pretty sure it was offside right away. Problem was you have the blue line cameras on both sides and it's blocked on both sides,” Bednar said. “I was a little bit concerned that they might rule it inconclusive, but then we kind of got the top view of it and it looked offside to me, so we felt comfortable challenging.”

Cirelli did cut the lead to 3-1 at 19:29 of the second, receiving a stretch pass from Hedman and beating Georgiev five-hole on a breakaway.

Valeri Nichushkin scored into an empty net at 16:46 of the third period for the 4-1 final.

“I think the game was there for the taking right from the beginning, and I just think we didn't pounce on that. I didn't think we were executing to the way we know how to do,” Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said. “We're able to get one with 40 seconds left (in the second), and then in the third we just couldn't find a way.”

NOTES: Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon had two assists to extend his season-opening home point streak to 10 games (five goals, 13 assists). He’s the third player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to have a season-opening home point streak of at least 10 games, joining Peter Stastny (17 games in 1980-81, 10 games in 1987-88) and Mats Sundin (17 games in 1992-93). … Makar has 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 13 games in November. It is the most points in a single month by a defenseman in Avalanche/Nordiques history. ... Nichushkin extended his point streak to eight games (eight goals, four assists). … Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov had an assist to extend his point streak to six games (four goals, nine assists).