DENVER– Brock Nelson orchestrated a masterclass Saturday at Ball Arena, putting together a two-goal, two-assist performance as the Avalanche eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in an impressive 7-2 triumph. Gabriel Landeskog scored two goals, while Brent Burns, Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews each added singular goals to the ledger. Between the posts, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 17 of 19 shots to keep her impressive run alive.
Nelson now has 11 points in his last nine games.
The supporting roles were no less fantastic: Martin Nečas provided three assists and Artturi Lehkonen provided two more.
With the victory, Colorado achieved an imposing and league-best record of 18-1-6.
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Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson scored for Montreal. Jakub Dobeš made 29 saves in the loss.
The afternoon belonged, without a doubt, to Nelson. After serving a high stick minor at 16:10 – killed with crucial saves and composed from Blackwood, Nelson re-emerged unreprimanded but focused. Lehkonen’s diagonal feed from the right flank found Nelson crossing into the neutral zone, where he quickly sent a wrist shot past Dobeš’s glove. With this shot, Nelson reached his 600th career point and did it in style.
Moments later, Nelson appeared to strike once more, at least at first glance. As he took his shot, Gabriel Landeskog was sent into the territory after a powerful push from Josh Anderson. Montreal quickly challenged the play for goalie interference, but initial review claimed that Anderson’s contact was the catalyst for Landeskog’s collision with the net, allowing the goal to stand.
However, a later, more granular examination of the league revealed a subtle but decisive detail. Landeskog had flicked the puck after Nelson’s release, and the NHL accordingly reallocated the credit, giving Landeskog the goal.
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After a draw won by Nelson, Burns corralled a shot through a Landeskog screen. The goal – Burns’ 264th – moved him into a tie with Nicklas Lidstrom for ninth all-time among defensemen, a feat worthy of his longevity and mastery of the blue line.
Nelson, however, was far from finished. After being pushed back on the first breakaway attempt, he saw Nečas collect a rebound before sending the puck back to him on the doorstep for his second goal of the evening. In one hilarious scene, fans who couldn’t hear the score correction thought Nelson had scored a hat trick and littered the rink with hats. Even though it wasn’t a hat trick, it was still a four-point night for Nelson.
Montreal responded briefly with Juraj Slafkovský’s nifty spin-o-rama to Matvei Demidov, who delivered a wide-open look to cut the deficit to 4-1. But the Avalanche quickly returned to their dominant winning ways.
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A chaotic 4-on-4 sequence – ranging from brutality and juvenile detention to Oliver Kapanen and Nečas respectively – preceded Colorado’s next brilliant move. With Landeskog lingering near the blue line, Cale Makar threw a calculated touch pass to get his captain out and back in. Landeskog then fired a low shot to Dobeš’s pads, where MacKinnon buried the rebound for a 5-1 lead.
At 2:51 into the third period, Nečas delivered a perfect pass past Devon Toews, who scored his first of the season to make it 6-1. Nearly three minutes later, Montreal responded with a goal when Lane Hutson took a one-timer from Blackwood on the power play to get a little closer. However, the Avalanche responded once again with a power play goal. With Montreal’s Jake Evans in the box for Nathan MacKinnon, Landeskog rebounded to make it 7-2.
The Avalanche will face the Vancouver Canucks at Ball Arena on Wednesday, December 2. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
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