Colorado Avalanche score first, then absorb fourth straight loss at Winnipeg Jets
The late-season swoon continued for the Colorado Avalanche, who allowed four third-period goals against the Winnipeg Jets and dropped their fourth-straight regulation contest, 4-1.
It’s the first time Colorado has dropped four in a row this season. The Avalanche have clinched first in the Western Conference but sit four points behind the Florida Panthers in seeking a second straight Presidents’ Trophy. There are three games left in the regular season for both teams.
All of the scoring came in Sunday’s third period in Winnipeg. J.T. Compher solved Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (30 saves), accepting a pass from Erik Johnson down low and taking it in with 5:03 gone. Then the Jets went about ruining Colorado netminder Darcy Kuemper’s bounce-back effort.
“After that, it kind of got ugly,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.
Kuemper made 23 saves through two periods, several challenging. Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry tipped in a shot to tie the game, the first of four Jets goals in a little over seven minutes.
“I just don’t think that the effort was there,” Compher said. “Guys are trying but overall, we have much better than that as a group. We know that’s not good enough.”
Kuemper was in net for three of the four straight losses and allowed five goals to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. He repeatedly bailed out the Avalanche through the first 40 minutes on Sunday.
“We worked in spurts but not like you have to work, like the game requires, as the opponent requires,” Bednar said. “Details weren’t great and execution was poor. The decisions with the puck were poor again.
“I think our work’s cut out for us to get our guys back to playing our game, getting back to our identity.”
Bednar said defenseman Josh Manson has a chronic elbow issue and it locked up on him, but he was getting ready to return to the game. Cale Makar had an injury scare as well but Bednar downplayed it.
“All good from a health standpoint,” the coach said.
Note: Pavel Francouz backed up Kuemper after being hit in the face with a puck during the Avalanche’s last game in Edmonton. He sported a black eye in a photo shared by the team earlier Sunday.
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