Avalanche Surge in 2nd Period to Defeat Flames 4-2 – The Hockey Writers NHL News Latest News, Analysis & More

For the first time this season, the Colorado Avalanche traveled to Calgary, Alberta, to face the Calgary Flames. After a strong opening period from the Flames, the Avalanche took over in the second period, leading to a 4-2 victory.

Game Recap

Just two minutes into the period, Samuel Girard hooked Jonathan Huberdeau while battling for the puck in the corner, sending the Flames to the power play early in the period. One minute into the penalty, Calvin de Haan went to clear the puck but sent it over the glass and was called for a delay of game penalty, sending the Flames to a 5-on-3 power play. Huberdeau opened the scoring when he received a pass from MacKenzie Weegar and used a well-placed Yegor Sharangovich screen to send a wrist shot past MacKenzie Blackwood. The Avalanche killed the rest of the 5-on-4 power play.

Blake Coleman almost doubled the lead after receiving a great pass from Nazem Kadri, but his shot rang off the post. Shortly after Jack Drury took a hooking penalty on Kadri, the Avalanche did a much better job defending the power play to keep it 1-0.

The Avalanche tied it when Drouin made a slick behind-the-back pass to Sam Malinski, who beat Dustin Wolf top right corner. The Flames challenged that the play was offside, and after video review, it showed Drouin offside before the puck crossed the blue line, calling the goal back and ending the period 1-0 Flames.

Cale Makar opened the scoring in the second period 30 seconds in when he ripped a shot past Wolf to make it 2-1. Four minutes later, Nathan MacKinnon’s shot beat Wolf but hit the crossbar and bounced off Wolf’s back, and Aruttri Lehkonen, on the rebound, put it in to take the lead. Lehkonen’s goal was his 22nd, marking a new career high, passing his previous high of 21 goals he set back in the 2022-23 season.

Shortly after, Mikael Backlund took a tripping penalty against Samuel Girard, giving the Avalanche their first power play of the game. The Flames did a good job defending the power play and got a scoring chance when Makar fanned on a shot, but the attempt was saved. Shortly after the penalty was finished, MacKinnon tried to clear the puck off the glass but sent it over and was called for a delay of the game, but the Avalanche once again defended the power play well.

MacKinnon, coming out of the box, was laid out by Adam Klapka, but Miles Wood came to his defense and fought Klapka but was called for a roughing penalty and a fighting penalty. With 1:27 left, Morgan Frost took an illegal check to the head penalty against Ross Colton, sending the Avalanche to their second power play of the period. The Avalanche capitalized as MacKinnon sent a one-timer from Makar but was tipped in front by Martin Necas to make it 3-1 as the second period ended.

The first half of the third period was relatively uneventful, with only seven shots from both teams in the first ten minutes. A few good scoring chances were either saved or missed the net. Jake Bean took a hooking penalty on Wood, but the Avalanche couldn’t capitalize on the power play.

Necas made it 4-1 on a breakaway when he received a great bank pass from Malinski. Rasmus Andersson got the Flames back within two minutes, with two minutes left, when he just tried to shoot the puck on the net on the short side, which ended up squeezing past Blackwood’s blocker and in. Wolf was pulled with over a 1:30 left, but time would end, closing the game 4-2.

The Avalanche are back in action tomorrow (Feb. 7) as they stay in Alberta but travel to Edmonton to face the Oilers, while the Flames are staying home to face the Seattle Kraken on Feb. 8.