2024-03-17 05:02:00
The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers appeared headed for a shootout, but Artturi Lehkonen had other plans in mind Saturday night.
The big-time man scored the game-winner with just one second left in overtime to give the Avalanche a 3-2 victory.
In possession of the puck in the corner, Nathan MacKinnon joined Lehkonen in the slot with a backhand pass, with his back to the play. Lehkonen, who was arriving at full speed, only had to redirect the puck behind Stuart Skinner to end the debate with his 12th goal of the season.
Lehkonen finished the game with a goal and an assist, following being complicit in one of Sean Walker’s two goals in regulation. These were his first two goals in a Colorado uniform.
Jonathan Drouin had an assist in the Avalanche’s sixth straight win.
Alexandar Georgiev stopped 32 pucks in front of the Avalanche net. Warren Foegele and Sam Carrick are the only two players to have deceived his vigilance. The goal was Carrick’s first with the Oilers.
For his part, Skinner had a busy night of work with 41 saves.
Drouin might well have been the first player to find the back of the net. At the start of the second period, Drouin earned a penalty shot following being caught by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a breakaway. Drouin tried to beat Stuart Skinner with a feint followed by a backhand shot, but the Oilers goalie had the better of it.
However, it was only a postponement for the Avalanche, who came back to attack a few minutes later to open the score. On a zone exit, Artturi Lehkonen put the puck back to Walker, who scored his first goal in a Colorado uniform, thanks to a good wrist shot.
The middle period did not end peacefully, as Vincent Desharnais laid down the gloves once morest Josh Manson in a men’s fight.
The Oilers thought they had tied the game early in the third period, when Zach Hyman pushed the puck into the back of the net. However, the video replay determined that Hyman had deliberately pushed the puck with his skate and the goal was disallowed.
However, Edmonton only took a few minutes before returning to the charge. This time, Foegele redirected a shot from Evan Bouchard behind Alexandar Georgiev to tie the game 1-1.
The Oilers then took advantage of a remarkable effort from Corey Perry to take control with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period. After losing his stick behind the net, Perry redoubled his effort to get the puck back to Mattias Janmark with his skate. Janmark’s shot then deflected to Carrick in front of the net, who pushed the puck past Georgiev to make it 2-1.
The Oilers’ celebrations, however, were short-lived. Less than three minutes following Carrick’s goal, Walker pressed the attack and took advantage of a nice cross ball from Casey Mittelstadt to tie the game with his second goal of the match.
The Avalanche will try to extend their success on Tuesday, once morest the Blues.
A goal from Ovechkin in a victory for the Caps
Alexander Ovechkin scored his 19th goal this season on Saturday, helping the Washington Capitals win 2-1 at the expense of the Vancouver Canucks.
Ovechkin has 841 goals, 54 goals from Wayne Gretzky’s mark.
Tom Wilson provided the other goal for the Capitals, who are one point out of the final playoff spot in the East. Brock Boeser fought back for the Canucks.
Winning goalie Charlie Lindgren made 21 saves, one fewer than Casey DeSmith.
Vancouver remains atop the West, one point ahead of the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
Capitals right winger TJ Oshie played his 1,000th regular season game in the NHL. The 37-year-old American was drafted 24th in 2005 by the St. Louis Blues. He helped Washington win the Stanley Cup in 2018.
The Canucks’ nine-game homestand continues Tuesday with a visit from the Buffalo Sabres. The Capitals will finish a five-game trip Monday in Calgary.
Josi sinks the Kraken
A Roman Josi double in the third period paved the way for a 4-1 victory for the Nashville Predators once morest the Seattle Kraken.
Just moments following forward Andre Burakovsky tied the game 1-1 early in the third period, Josi put the Predators back in the driver’s seat with his 16th goal of the campaign.
Approximately five minutes later, Josi doubled the Predators’ lead with a powerful slap shot from the blue line from the faceoff.
Tommy Novak opened the scoring with the only goal of the first period and Filip Forsberg crowned the victory with an empty net. Mark Jankowski finished the game with two assists.
In front of the Predators cage, Juuse Saros did well by stopping 23 of the 24 shots aimed at him. At the other end of the ice, Philipp Grubauer allowed three goals on 29 shots.
Nashville, which has won four of its last five outings, will return to action once morest the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. The Kraken will try to end a four-game losing streak on Monday once morest the Buffalo Sabres.
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