DENVER — Mikko Rantanen scored at 1:51 of time beyond regulation to present the Colorado Avalanche a 2-1 win towards the Montreal Canadiens at Ball Area on Wednesday.
Rantanen completed a 2-on-1 with Devon Toews with a shot that beat Jake Allen five-hole simply moments after Alexandar Georgiev made an enormous cease towards Jonathan Drouin on the different finish.
“It’s [fun]. It’s as a result of we win, proper,” Rantanen stated. “That is the largest factor for me too. So, I am glad I used to be capable of assist with that immediately.”
Artturi Lehkonen scored, and Rantanen completed with a purpose and an help for Colorado (18-11-2), which went 4-1-0 throughout a five-game homestand. Georgiev made 19 saves.
“Did not like our first, however after that we had been glorious,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar stated. “I believe that we’re doing the correct issues with a purpose to win hockey video games, and No. 1 for me is our checking. If we’re not going to attain a number of targets, I stated it the opposite night time, we have to be keen to win video games 1-0 and 2-1 and work in direction of that.”
Video: [email protected]: Rantanen scores in OT
Anthony Richard scored his first NHL purpose, and Allen made 34 saves for Montreal (15-15-3), which has misplaced 4 of 5 (1-3-1).
“They performed on high of us tonight,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis stated. “We actually struggled versus their stress. A part of that’s them, a part of it’s us not having a number of gasoline and being drained. It is robust to handle that type of stress whenever you simply haven’t got the legs, you do not have the lungs. The factor that goes first is the thoughts, and it is arduous to make good choices when the thoughts’s gone.
“I used to be actually happy to get to the time beyond regulation. If we bought two factors, we might have stole two factors. We did not deserve two tonight, and I am completely satisfied we bought the purpose.”
Richard scored on a breakaway to make it 1-0 at 1:48 of the primary interval, skating previous two defenders within the impartial zone earlier than beating Georgiev glove aspect. Richard performed 389 video games over eight seasons within the American Hockey League previous to scoring in his fourth NHL sport.
“I actually like that play after I’ve bought a [defenseman] on my again when coming with a number of velocity,” Richard stated. “That goalie, they’re type of dishonest on their blocker aspect often as a result of I am coming with a lot velocity. They type of know you are attempting to go blocker aspect, so generally whenever you simply — a bit of bit like [Nick] Suzuki is doing within the shootout — if yow will discover a bit of gap on the alternative aspect, generally you will get fortunate and it goes in.
“It is a good second for me and my household. So, even with the loss, I will attempt to get pleasure from it a bit of bit, and it needs to be a pleasant couple hours to textual content my household and my pals.”
Video: [email protected]: Richard slides it in on a breakaway
Lehkonen tied it at 1-1 on the ability play with a snap shot from between the circles at 2:16 of the third interval. It was his first sport towards the Canadiens since they traded him to the Avalanche on March 21.
“A extremely, actually good dish there [from Rantanen],” Lehkonen stated. “I had a number of time, so I might obtain and shoot it. I used to be simply attempting to hit the web.”
NOTES: Richard (26 years, 1 day) grew to become the fourth Canadiens participant previously 30 years to attain his first NHL purpose at age 26 or older (Corey Schueneman, 26 years, 196 days on March 17; Jakub Jerabek at 26 years, 250 days on Jan. 17, 2018; and Mark Streit at 28 years, 34 days on Jan. 14, 2006). … Denis Malgin made his Avalanche debut after being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. He had three pictures and three hits in a season-high 16:21 of ice time. … Rantanen scored his 18th even-strength purpose, which is tied with Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars for many within the NHL.