Nathan MacKinnon’s point streak ends at 19 games but the Avalanche still managed to pull away with a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues in a hard-fought battle at Enterprise Arena on Friday.
The point streak was exciting to follow but without the team’s superstar center finding the scoresheet, the Avs needed two other aspects of their game to step up. Both their depth scoring and goaltending have been issues in recent weeks and both were catalysts in ending an 0-3-3 run on the road.
Without center Ross Colton, who suffered a lower-body injury in Arizona on Wednesday, Colorado had goals from his replacement in the second-line center position, Ryan Johansen, and the late game-winning goal from defenseman Devon Toews with Miles Wood screening goaltender Jordan Binnington in front.
Goals weren’t coming easy for either side. The game mirrored that of a defensive battle you often see late in the regular season or the playoffs. The only goal surrendered by Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev was a shorthanded breakaway to Robert Thomas after an offensive zone turnover by MacKinnon. Georgiev, who struggled late in the meltdown on Wednesday and was visibly upset following the overtime loss, was excellent for Colorado in one of his best performances all year. Georgiev made 28 saves as the Blues outshot the Avs 29-23.
With less than three minutes remaining in regulation, and the teams knotted up at 1-1, Johansen won a crucial faceoff, which was sent back to Toews at the point by Valeri Nichushkin. The defenseman fired it through several bodies and beat Binnington to give Colorado a 2-1 lead with 2:54 remaining.
For Johansen, it was just his third assist of the season and it came following a first-period goal. Johansen’s game-opening tally was the 200th of his career and just his second in 15 games. Colorado needed its veteran center to step up in Colton’s absence and he did exactly that. Johansen had just two points over the past month before doubling up his output in one night.
Before Johansen’s goal, the Avs thought they had one from defenseman Josh Manson. But following a review for goaltender interference, it was called back. Forward Kurtis MacDermid made contact with Binnington and knocked him out of position just as Manson was firing the puck on goal. Manson ended up assisting on Johansen’s tally several minutes later.
