The Vancouver Canucks welcomed the high-flying Colorado Avalanche to Rogers Arena on Sunday night for the penultimate game of their short four-game homestand. Both teams were coming off wins last night, the Canucks beating the Columbus Blue Jackets in a tight 4-3 affair and the Avalanche the complete opposite, smashing the Edmonton Oilers 9-1.
Kevin Lankinen was in goal again for the Canucks after stopping 29 shots against the Blue Jackets, while the Avalanche sent MacKenzie Blackwood to the crease after Scott Wedgewood played yesterday. Led by a five-point night by Nathan MacKinnon and capped off by Gavin Brindley’s overtime goal, the Avalanche escaped Vancouver with a win. The Canucks battled back all game from deficits, first 2-0, then 3-2 and 4-3, but ultimately lost 5-4 less than a minute into overtime. With the victory, the Avalanche improve to 10-1-5, while the Canucks fall to 8-8-1. Here’s your game recap.
Game Recap
After scoring nine goals last night, the Avalanche didn’t take long to get on the board in this one. MacKinnon, coming off a four-point effort against the Oilers, opened the scoring only 6:41 into the game. Then, only a couple minutes later, he tallied again on the power play, with his league-leading 14th, to bring the Avalanche’s lead to 2-0.
The Canucks quickly stopped the bleeding, however, with Linus Karlsson notching his first of the season on a great individual effort, roofing it on Blackwood with a between-the-legs move at the edge of the crease. Despite the Avalanche finishing the period up 2-1, the Canucks had the edge in shots on goal, 16-9.
Early in the second period, Kiefer Sherwood tied the game at two with his 10th of the season. The Canucks had two power plays after that, but couldn’t take the lead, despite a bunch of chances on Blackwood. The period ended tied at two, with the Canucks still leading on the shot clock, 26-16.
The Avalanche struck early in the third with a deft tip from Artturi Lehkonen to take their second lead of the night at 3-2. The Canucks tied it at three with a shorthanded goal by Drew O’Connor, the Avalanche took the lead again with another by Lehkonen, before a late goal by DeBrusk tied it at four to send it to overtime. Brindley ended it early in the extra frame as he got to a rebound in front of Lankinen and poked it five-hole to give the Avalanche their first overtime win of the season.
What’s Next?
The Canucks will wrap up their homestand against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday before embarking on a short three-game road trip that will take them through Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida. The Avalanche, meanwhile, will return home for their own four-game homestand that begins on Tuesday against the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks.
