Looking back on the season, no one expected the Colorado Avalanche vs. Anaheim Ducks to be as big as it is today. While the Avalanche stick with their team roster and look to compete for another Stanley Cup, what the Ducks are doing to start the season is mind-blowing to many (myself included): Maybe they’re a wildcard team that’s fun to watch, but still rebuilding. This is not the case today. Despite the good streak in today’s game, it wasn’t enough against the Avalanche.
The first period did not disappoint, and the action came just 30 seconds later when Cale Makar found Artturi Lehkonen, and he fired a quick one-timer past Lukas Dostal to make it 1-0. He was assisted by Nathan MacKinnon, who, on that score, recorded his 11th career point streak and passed Joe Sakic and Peter Stastny for the most in Avalanche/Nordiques history.
Lehkonen is called for a hook, but the Avalanche penalty remains strong. The Avalanche have a power play when Ian Moore is called for tripping, but fails to convert. Fast play was accompanied by physical play, including a few scrums in front of each goalkeeper, but this time Jack Drury and Olen Zellweger were called for roughing and sent to the penalty box 4v4 for 2 minutes. Jacob Trouba, behind the net, finds Leo Carlsson crashing into the net, and he grabs it to tie the game 1-1.
While the first period was high-flying and full of shots, the defense and goaltending were bigger this period, with both goalies making big saves to keep their teams in the game. Jackson Lacombe crashed into Wedgewood while trying to cross the crease and is called for goalie interference. Wedgewood was on his knees and appeared to be in pain once the play was declared dead, but after a discussion with the team’s coach and staff, he remained in the game.
Finally, after two recalled goals, it was the captain, Gabriel Landeskog, who pounced on Nichushkin’s shot and buried the rebound for his first goal of the season and his first since the 2022 NHL season in March.
Moore takes his second penalty of the game when he is called for a delay of game. It’s a farcical goal on the power play, but the Avalanche take it, as MacKinnon’s shot is deflected/deflected twice, first by Lehkonen, then finally by Martin Necas, to make the score 3-1. Right after the faceoff, Jacob Trouba is called for a slash and sends the Avalanche straight to the power play, but they don’t end up converting on the chance.
Necas fights for the puck against Alex Killorn, but his stick goes high and hits Killorn in the face. The game initially lasted four minutes for high stick because there was blood. After examination, no blood was drawn, but Necas is still called for roughing after what happened after the initial whistle. Dostal was pulled with just over three minutes left in the period, but a goal from Parker Kelly, assisted by MacKinnon, would seal the deal, and the Avalanche beat the Ducks, ending their seven-game winning streak.
The Colorado Avalanche return to action at home in a back-to-back against the Buffalo Sabers on Wednesday, November 12.
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