LDN - Sports

Avalanche slip past Devils with late goal

[March 10, 2017] DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche have experienced a trio of two-game winning streaks this season but have failed to extend them to three.

They'll get a fourth crack at it Saturday after a nail-biting win Thursday night.

Francois Beauchemin scored the tiebreaking goal at 18:46 of the third period, and the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2.

Nathan MacKinnon and Rene Bourque also scored, and Calvin Pickard made 25 saves for the Avalanche (19-44-3), who won at home for just the 10th time in 34 games.

"We want to play well in front of our fans," coach Jared Bednar said. "They've been supporting us and it's been a tough year, but they keep coming out and cheering us on. We want to make the most of this homestand."

Taylor Hall and Stefan Noesen had goals for New Jersey, and Cory Schneider stopped 19 shots. The Devils lost their fifth straight and are 1-7-2 in their past 10.

They had a chance to end the streak, but Colorado came through with a big goal in the final 74 seconds when Beauchemin maneuvered around an attempted poke check by forward Devante Smith-Pelly and beat Schneider high with a shot from the left circle. It was Beauchemin's third goal of the season.

"We have a winger go out to the point, guy stick checks, (Beauchemin) swings by him, stays in, scores the goal," Devils coach John Hynes said. "Can't play like that with a 1:27 left. That's the game."

New Jersey pulled Schneider for an extra attacker in the final minute but couldn't tie it.

"It was a good feeling," Beauchemin said. "Any win is great right now. It's a tough situation to be in, but we can try to get some positives by winning some games."

The Devils (25-30-12) outshot Colorado 13-2 in the second period and had the first three shots of the third, the last ending a scoreless drought of 174 minutes, 51 seconds when Hall beat Pickard 42 seconds into the period to tie it at 1.

"We have struggled to score goals at times this year and we're struggling right now," Hall said. "When that happens, you want to simplify things and, make sure pucks are getting to the net and getting to the slot. As the game wore on, especially in the last two periods, we were getting that done."

The Avalanche answered at 4:05, when Sven Andrighetto stole the puck from Miles Wood and fed Bourque, who scored his 11th of the season.

Noesen responded 2:08 later with his fifth of the season to make it 2-2 and set up the dramatic ending.

[to top of second column]

Avalanche defenseman Francois Beauchemin (32) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning goal during the third period against the New Jersey Devils at Pepsi Center. The Avalanche won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

"I was in doubt there a little bit," said Pickard, who bounced back after a rough night in Winnipeg on Saturday to win two straight. "They were pushing pretty hard, taking it to us and to get that late goal, it was nice. Back-to-back efforts is a big thing for us right now."

New Jersey and Colorado are ranked 29th and 30th, respectively, in the NHL in goals this season, so it wasn't surprising that it took more than 31 minutes before anyone scored. MacKinnon provided the offense when his shot from the high boards nicked off a New Jersey player and through Schneider's legs at 11:11 of the second period.

It was his second straight game with a goal after going 15 games without one. He has 14 goals.

New Jersey managed to get just three shots on goal in the first period.

"Our first period really set us back, and it made it difficult for us to gain momentum," Hall said. "But eventually we did, and it's just a tough loss."

NOTES: The Avalanche were 0-for-3 on the power play a game after ending a drought Tuesday of 23 empty opportunities spanning 10 games. ... New Jersey D Andy Greene missed his fourth consecutive game. The Devils' captain left the team following the death of his father on Saturday but rejoined the club in Colorado on Thursday. However, he remained out. ... C Joe Colborne and D Cody Goloubef were scratched for the Avalanche. ... Devils C Jacob Josefson missed his fifth straight game due to an upper-body injury.

Back to top