Calgary 3, Colorado 2
When: 10:00 PM ET, Saturday, October 13, 2018
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Referees:
Justin St. Pierre, Ian Walsh
Linesmen:
Travis Gawryletz, Derek Nansen
Attendance:
17334
By Field Level Media
Johnny Gaudreau scored on a breakaway 46 seconds into overtime as the Calgary Flames rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Saturday night at Denver.
A wide-open Gaudreau took an outlet pass from Sean Monahan along the left boards at center ice and then went and beat Semyon Varlamov with a backhand shot for his second goal of the season.
Elias Lindholm, who tied it with a goal with 1:54 left in regulation, and Sam Bennett also scored for Calgary. David Rittich finished with 24 saves for the Flames.
Nathan MacKinnon and J.T. Compher scored goals for Colorado, which lost at Pepsi Center for just the fifth time in its last 26 games (20-5-1) dating back to last season. Varlamov had 38 saves in suffering his first loss in four starts for the Avalanche.
MacKinnon needed just 11 seconds to give Colorado a 1-0 lead, knocking in a rebound of a Mikko Rantanen shot into the left corner of the net. It was the fastest goal to start a game for an Avalanche player since Antti Laaksonen set the franchise record by scoring in eight seconds at Columbus on Feb. 10, 2006.
Colorado made it 2-0 at the 2:40 mark when a bouncing puck went over the stick of defenseman T.J. Brodie near the top of the slot. Compher picked it up and quickly chipped a shot over Rittich's glove and into the top right corner of the net.
Calgary cut it to 2-1 midway through the second period on Bennett's first goal of the season when he buried a rebound of a Mikael Backlund shot that caromed straight to Bennett in the slot, where he fired a wrist shot past Varlamov's blocker side.
Lindholm then tied it after the Flames pulled Rittich. He stole the puck from Matt Nieto along the left boards and then came in and fired a shot between Varlamov's pads, setting the stage for Gaudreau's game-winner in overtime.
MacKinnon has scored six goals in the first five games for the Avs and became just the second player in franchise history to score a goal in the first five games of the season, joining Mats Sundin, who did it in the 1992-93 season with the Quebec Nordiques.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Calgary |
|
Colorado |
Sam Bennett 1 |
Points |
J.T. Compher 1 |
Sam Bennett 1 |
Goals |
J.T. Compher 1 |
Mikael Backlund 1 |
Assists |
Tyson Barrie 1 |
N/A |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
David Rittich .923 |
Save Percentage |
Semyon Varlamov .927 |
David Rittich 24 |
Saves |
Semyon Varlamov 38 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
Calgary
|
41 |
3 |
0-4 |
3-3 |
8 |
31 |
Colorado
|
26 |
2 |
0-3 |
4-4 |
10 |
24 |
Upcoming Games
-
Colorado will play their next game on the road against NY Rangers. The Avalanche have a W/L % of .500 after a win and 1.000 after a loss.
-
Calgary will play their next game at home against Boston. The Flames have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .667 after a loss.