Rantanen, Francouz guide Avs past Flyers

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[December 12, 2019]    Mikko Rantanen scored two goals, Pavel Francouz had 32 saves, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 in Denver on Wednesday night.

Philadelphia Flyers fans before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Calvert also scored to lead the Avalanche to their seventh win in the last eight games.

Claude Giroux had a goal, and Carter Hart stopped 24 shots for Philadelphia.

The Flyers were without their leading scorer, forward Travis Konecny, who suffered a concussion in the 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Konecny has 11 goals and 17 assists, both team highs.

Colorado goaltender Philipp Grubauer was expected to return after missing one game but was scratched, and Adam Werner was called up from the AHL affiliate to serve as the backup to Francouz.

The Avalanche got their first goal when Calle Rosen took a shot from the point that went off a body and then hit the left post. It caromed across the crease behind Hart to the right side, where Calvert corralled it and put it in with a backhand at 5:21 of the first period. It was his sixth of the season.

The Flyers swarmed in the second period, getting the first 11 shots of the frame and finishing with a 17-5 edge for the 20 minutes, but it was Colorado that scored the only goal.

J.T. Compher had the puck at the Philadelphia blue line and slid a pass to Nathan MacKinnon as he skated into the zone. MacKinnon brought it to the left circle and sent the puck over to Rantanen as he came down the right side. Rantanen tipped it just inside the post at 16:05 to put Colorado ahead 2-0.

Rantanen gave the Avalanche a three-goal lead when he crashed the net, got a pass from behind the net from Nazem Kadri and one-timed it high over Hart at 2:31 of the third. It was his eighth of the season.

Philadelphia ended Francouz's shutout bid when Giroux scored his 10th goal on a rebound at 14:48 of the third.

Hart came off for an extra skater with about three minutes left, but Francouz stood strong.

--Field Level Media

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