Denver, CO — The Colorado Avalanche, facing off against the Washington Caps on Tuesday, lost to the Caps 2-1.
However, the Avalanche got the better of the Capitals’ defense.
The Caps had to score in regulation after a quick one-timer by Nikita Kucherov on a shorthanded breakaway to take a 1-0 lead at 7:38 of the first period.
That’s when Kucrovschk had the puck and the Avalanche defense was able to capitalize on the turnover and force a turnover that lead to an assist by Avalanche defenseman Jared McCann on Alexander Ovechkin.
McCann was on hand to tip the puck over the Caps goaltender, who was forced to scramble to get to his feet to prevent the Caps from scoring.
It was the first goal the Avalanche scored in a regulation game since Nov. 17, 2014 against the New York Rangers.
The Avalanche got off to a slow start, with the team failing to score until the third period.
They only got their first goal on an odd-man rush by John Carlson.
It didn’t take long for the Caps to capitalize.
Ovecha scored his third of the season to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead at 11:21 of the second period.
The Capitals got another goal from Carlson at 16:53 of the third to push the lead to 3-1 after a shot by Carlson led to an easy goal by Alexander Ovi.
Kucrevschuk scored on a one-timed rush by Ovi with just over two minutes left in the third, but it wasn’t enough as the Avalanche put the game away.
Washington’s only goal in regulation came from an empty netter.
Ovi had a power-play goal at 7.8 seconds into the second.
The Caps also scored twice in the first six minutes of the period, including an empty-netter at 12:11 of the same period.
Washington came out hot in the second, scoring two more goals in the final 2:08 of the game to push their lead to 4-1, including a power play goal by Ovechnkin that gave the Capitals an important 3-0 cushion.
The loss puts Washington two points behind the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Islanders, meanwhile, will be looking to improve on a 3,000-point season and earn a playoff berth.
