|
 After all, Roy thrived off pressure for 18-plus seasons as one of
the NHL's greatest goaltenders.
"If we want to make the playoffs, or if we want to have a chance to
be close to making the playoffs, obviously he needs to be our best
player," Roy said of Varlamov. "He's well aware of that."
Varlamov embraced the challenge Tuesday night, stopping all 29 shots
he faced and leading Colorado to a 3-0 win over the Chicago
Blackhawks.
Right winger Matt Duchene, defenseman Zach Redmond and left winger
Gabriel Landeskog scored as Colorado (15-16-1) won its third
consecutive game, all on the road.
Chicago (17-11-4) was shut out for the second time this season,
meaning right winger Patrick Kane's point streak ended at 26 games.
Goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 24 of 26 shots.
Kane compiled 16 goals and 24 assists during his streak, which set a
franchise record and marked the most by any American-born player in
NHL history. Kane's streak was the longest in the league since Hall
of Famer Mats Sundin scored at least one point in 30 consecutive
games with the Quebec Nordiques during the 1992-93 campaign.
"It was a good run," Kane said. "Didn't have it tonight. Now, I can
just focus on playing hockey."
Kane was not alone in his struggles against Varlamov. The Avalanche
netminder stopped nine shots in the first period, 13 shots in the
second and seven in the third to post his first shutout of the
season and the 19th of his career. He improved to 11-3-0 against the
Blackhawks and won his eighth consecutive decision against Chicago.
Varlamov stymied the Blackhawks' best scoring opportunity late in
the second period. Left winger Bryan Bickell had two point-blank
chances in front of the crease, but Varlamov stopped Bickell's first
attempt with his right leg pad and stayed low to turn aside
Bickell's rebound attempt.
"You always have to be ready to play against those guys," Varlamov
said. "They're a dangerous team, especially offensively. When we're
scoring first, I feel like we play so much better because we get
that confidence."
Colorado's first goal happened by mistake.
Duchene scored with 5:30 to go in the first period on what appeared
to be a wrist shot from the left circle. The puck deflected off a
Blackhawks player's stick and skipped above Crawford's glove for
Duchene's team-leading 16th goal.
"I was actually trying to pass it to (center Nathan) MacKinnon back
door for an open net," Duchene said. "Nice bounce, obviously. I'll
take it.
"The last two games, I had a ton of chances and wasn't able to
score. I hit a goalpost and was a little snake-bit, so it was nice
to get kind of a cheap one."
[to top of second column] |
A wrist shot by Redmond increased Colorado's lead to 2-0 with 18:17
remaining in the second period. Left winger Blake Comeau provided a
pinpoint pass to set up Redmond, who fired a low shot from the right
circle for his first goal of the season.
The lead allowed the Avalanche to play at a more deliberate pace to
slow down the Blackhawks.
"We adjusted to it, we just didn't execute," Kane said. "They kind
of played a 1-3-1 trap game, just kind of sit back and wait. It was
a very defensive game by them, but when you get the lead and have a
1-0, 2-0 (lead), it's going be tough to come back when a team plays
like that against you."
Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said a slow start cost his team.
"Give the other team credit," Quenneville said. "I think the way
they check and the way they play, they get a lead like that and it
gets frustrating."
Landeskog added an empty-net goal with 1:57 to go in the third
period as Colorado earned its fourth win in five games.
"We're playing better defensively and we're getting really good
goaltending," Duchene said. "Offensively, the puck is getting up to
our forwards and we're making things happen."
NOTES: Blackhawks D Rob Scuderi made his team debut one day after he
was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for D Trevor
Daley. Scuderi, 36, played alongside 37-year-old Michal Rozsival to
form Chicago's third defensive pairing, and he finished minus-1. ...
Avalanche D Zach Redmond returned to the lineup after sitting out
the previous six games. Redmond replaced D Brandon Gormley, who was
a healthy scratch. ... Blackhawks LW Ryan Garbutt was a healthy
scratch for the third consecutive game. ... Avalanche RW Jarome
Iginla appeared in his 1,424th career game, matching RW Pat Verbeek
for 27th place in the NHL record book. ... Blackhawks D David
Rundblad was a healthy scratch for the first time in five games.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
