The Colorado Avalanche have begun to work their way out of their scoring funk, but that didn’t translate to a win on Tuesday night at Pepsi Center as Colorado fell to the Blackhawks 6-4 in regulation. Colorado scored three goals in the second period but conceded three in the third to drop their third game in a row and 28th on the season, the most in the NHL.
Matt Duchene scored two goals on the night, including a power play goal in the first period and a brilliant wrist shot in the second that gave the Avs a one-goal advantage heading into the final frame. Matt Nieto scored his first goal of the season and his first goal in an Avalanche sweater; Blake Comeau also scored in the second. Colorado’s four goals in the game were their largest offensive output since a win in Boston on Dec. 8. But it was not enough, as Corey Crawford blanked them in the third period and the Hawks responded with a three-goal period of their own.
Vinnie Hinostroza scored twice in a span of three minutes to give Chicago a lead and Tanner Kero scored his second goal of the night on an empty net to ice things for the Blackhawks, ending a two-game losing streak. Colorado mustered only five shots on Crawford in the period while Chicago converted on three of their twelve against Semyon Varlamov, who made his third consecutive start after returning from a groin injury.
Colorado heads out on the road next for a two-game west-coast swing. The Avs are in Anaheim on Thursday to take on the Ducks and in San Jose on Saturday to face the Sharks. Colorado lost to the Ducks last Thursday at Pepsi Center, 4-1.
