Varlamov, Avalanche shut out Blackhawks

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[December 16, 2015]  CHICAGO -- Colorado Avalanche coach Patrick Roy is not afraid to heap pressure on goaltender Semyon Varlamov.

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."

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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.

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