|
 Patrick Bordeleau, P.A. Parenteau and Gabriel Landeskog also added goals for the Avalanche, who are off to a franchise-best 14-2 start under new coach Patrick Roy.
Before this season, the best mark through 16 games was 13-3 by the 1994-95 Quebec Nordiques.
Joel Ward had the lone goal for the Capitals as they lost for a second straight night. Alex Ovechkin thought he had a goal late in the third, but it was disallowed when replay showed he kicked it in with his left skate.
Varlamov once again came up big against his former team, especially on a 5-on-3 early in the final period to preserve the lead. Varlamov also made 40 saves in a 5-1 win at Washington on Oct. 12.
Early in the third period, Cory Sarich was called for hooking to give Washington, the top power play team in the league, a man advantage. And then the Avalanche were whistled for too many men on the ice, setting up a 5-on-3 situation for 56 seconds.
But Varlamov turned back shot after shot, the crowd cheering "Varly, Varly" over and over.
Ward tied the game at 1 in the second period when a puck caromed off the boards on a faceoff and right to his stick. With no defenders near him, Ward faked Varlamov one way and then shot it in for his eighth goal of the season.
Just 28 seconds later, Holden gave the Avalanche back the lead when the defenseman took a pass from Landeskog and lined a shot past a screened Braden Holtby.
The Capitals received a scare late in the second when Ovechkin slipped while
chasing a puck and crashed into the boards, with Jan Hejda falling on top of
him. Ovechkin stayed down on the ice for several minutes, before skating to the
bench and dabbing at his head with a towel. He also began yelling at the
officials, apparently upset no penalty was called on the play.
[to top of second column] |
Colorado got on the board early in the opening period when Cody McLeod lined a backhand shot toward the goal that Bordeleau redirected past Holtby. The officials reviewed the play to see if Bordeleau's stick was below the level of the crossbar and then announced to the crowd the call on the ice stood.
The Capitals struggled to generate much offense in the first period and didn't take their first shot until halfway through, when Ovechkin laced a slap shot that Varlamov turned aside.
Roy has a good thing going in goal these days, with Varlamov and backup Jean-Sebastien Giguere both playing well. The duo entered the game with a league-best 1.79 goals-against average.
"We trust our two goalies," Roy said. "We have a lot of confidence."
NOTES: Unhappy with an offside call, the Capitals argued with officials and were assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which was served by F Jason Chimera. ... It was a late-arriving crowd with the Denver Broncos playing an afternoon game in San Diego. By midway through the opening period, the arena was packed. ... The Avalanche were without F Alex Tanguay (knee) and D Ryan Wilson (back). Both are out at least two more weeks. ... Colorado is 8-1 against the Eastern Conference this season.
[Associated
Press; By PAT GRAHAM]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
