Intention irrelevant as Colorado Avalanche take down Pittsburgh Penguins
DENVER – Intentionally or accidentally, the Colorado Avalanche never left the game tied for long and took down the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at Ball Arena.
Drop pass or bobble, Colorado forward Alex Newhook left the puck sitting for teammate Nicolas Aube-Kubel at the top of a faceoff circle. Aube-Kubel came roaring in and sent in a slap shot clocked at 95.7 mph to go ahead 2-1 less than a minute after Pittsburgh tied the game.
“I think he surprised him there, but they did everything right,” coach Jared Bednar said. “When you’re in the right spot, good things happen.”
Missed chance or bank shot, Nathan MacKinnon then sent the puck off the end boards and directly to Devon Toews, who buried the shot to make it 3-2. It came 27 seconds after the Penguins tied the game at 2 late in the third period.
“I don’t know if he meant to miss the net or not, but it worked out nicely,” Toews said. “Perfect bounce off the back of the boards right to me.”
It had already been a hectic defensive effort for Toews. Early in the game, he spent most of a shift without a stick but didn’t stop by the bench for a replacement as play shifted to the other end. He kicked the puck around the corner instead. During the second period, he broke up a Penguins 2-on-1 with Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby.
Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry made 35 saves. Crosby and Mike Matheson scored for Pittsburgh.
“We gave up some chances that I didn’t love tonight, but that’s a dangerous, dangerous team,” Bednar said. “That’s the best transition team in the league. Their numbers show it.”
Aube-Kubel was the healthy scratch in the Avalanche’s last game against the San Jose Sharks. He hadn’t registered a goal since Feb. 13 and his last point came Feb. 19.
“I talked to him before the scratch. Told him he was going to be the guy out and maybe not deservedly so,” Bednar said, calling it a “timing thing.”
“His game is becoming more responsible … he’s bought into it. I thought he was real good defensively. He’s limiting his turnovers and he’s got a physical edge to his game.”
Mikko Rantanen opened the scoring one second before the game’s midway point. Rantanen batted the puck out of midair, crossing swords with Penguins defenseman Matheson as he sent the puck off Jarry’s shoulder and into the net.
Darcy Kuemper made 38 saves for Colorado.
Avalanche team points leader Nazem Kadri missed the game with what the team called an upper-body injury. He was bloodied by a hit from San Jose’s Tomas Hertl on Thursday. Hertl sent Kadri, who was facing the boards, into a Sharks teammate.
“He felt like he got hit by a car,” Bednar said. “He’s sore and he’s banged-up.”
Bednar said Kadri is expected to miss some time but return in time for the playoffs.
Colorado points leader Nazem Kadri ‘evaluated,’ misses Friday’s Avalanche practice
Colorado Avalanche glide past San Jose Sharks in third period