The Colorado Avalanche (20-17) are now 1-9 over its last 10 games after being shut out by the Montreal Canadiens, 3-0 Saturday night.
Both teams entered the third scoreless, but Brett Kulak notched a shorthanded goal past Semyon Varlamov 8:21 into the final period and the Canadiens did not slow down from there. Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored a few minutes later to put the Canadiens up 2-0. Then Jordie Benn put on the final cherry on top for the home fans with an empty net goal (3-0).
Montreal finished with 31 shots in the contest, three more than Colorado (28). The Canadiens also held a significant faceoff advantage, finishing with a margin of 30-19 (61.2 percent).
Colorado had four power play opportunities in the road loss, but failed to score on any of them. During the current three-game losing skid, Colorado has only found the back of the net on one of its 13 power play chances. If the Avs are going to have any chance of turning things around, taking advantage of opposing penalties will be a huge factor.
The Avs also need more production from all of its lines. So far this season, Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen have accounted for 48.3 percent of Colorado’s goals. While the top line has been phenomenal, the Avalanche essentially live and die at the hands of these three players.
Colorado will continue the tour through Canada on Monday when the Avalanche face the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:00 p.m. MT.
