MONTREAL — In a thrilling NHL contest, Brock Nelson emerged as the hero with the decisive shootout goal in the fourth round, helping the Colorado Avalanche edge past the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on Saturday night. The Avalanche thwarted the Canadiens’ late surge, maintaining their composure to secure the win.
Adding to the drama, Charlie Coyle found the back of the net during the shootout for Colorado, while Patrik Laine put Montreal on the board in the same fashion. During regulation, Nelson was instrumental with both a goal and an assist. Colorado was further bolstered by goals from Martin Necas, Sam Malinski, and Ryan Lindgren. Mackenzie Blackwood, demonstrating his prowess between the pipes, made 25 crucial saves to aid his team.
Montreal mounted a strong comeback in the third period. Joshua Roy and Juraj Slafkovsky, who notched his second goal of the game, scored within a 30-second span, trimming the Avalanche lead to 4-3. The comeback was completed when Christian Dvorak scored at 13:32, leveling the score.
As tensions rose, Slafkovsky was penalized for holding with just 2:25 left in overtime, granting Colorado a power play. Despite this, Montreal’s penalty kill rose to the occasion, preventing the Avalanche from capitalizing during the extra time.
Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault stood tall with 33 saves, albeit the Canadiens succumbed for the second time in as many games. Nevertheless, they extended their point streak to six games, showcasing resilience.
Colorado’s recent form is impressive, having won consecutive games and losing just twice in their last 12 outings.
From the game, Colorado Avalanche showed immediate intent, registering nine shots in the first six minutes, scoring twice swiftly to take an early lead. Montreal, however, demonstrated their fighting spirit with a robust second period and an invigorated push in the third. Their persistence saw energetic plays, with Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield both hitting the post following Dvorak’s game-tying effort.
A pivotal moment came when Dvorak received a well-timed pass from Brendan Gallagher, allowing him to score with a deft backhand shot over Blackwood’s shoulder, pulling Montreal level.
Juraj Slafkovsky continues his remarkable form, with eight goals in his last 13 matches. His 39th career goal places him on the brink of history as he seeks to match Stephane Richer’s total of 41 goals by players aged 20 or younger in franchise history before turning 21 on March 30.
Looking ahead, the Colorado Avalanche will begin a four-game homestand against Detroit on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens hit the road for a four-game trip, starting with a clash in St. Louis also on Tuesday.