Valeri Nichushkin lifts Avs over Bruins in shootout

Field Level Media|published: Tue 9th January, 24:27 2024

Jan 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Logan O'Connor (25) and Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) battle for the puck in the second period at Ball Arena. credits: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Valeri Nichushkin scored in the shootout, Sam Malinski, Mikko Rantanen and Logan O'Connor had goals, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 in Denver on Monday night.

Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home point streak to 22 games to begin the season and Alexandar Georgiev had 24 saves through overtime and three in the shootout for Colorado.

Brad Marchand scored two goals, John Beecher also had a goal and Jeremy Swayman turned away 33 shots for Boston.

After the three shooters for the Bruins couldn't score and MacKinnon and Rantanen came up empty, Nichushkin ended it with a wrister under Swayman's glove to win it for the Avalanche.

Colorado outshot Boston 13-5 in the first period but the Bruins had good chances. Jake DeBrusk had a shorthanded breakaway but Georgiev made the save, and then the Bruins struck on the power play.

Marchand had the puck near the left circle, skated around and then sent a screened shot by Georgiev to give Boston the lead at 11:21 of the first period.

The Avalanche tied the score later in the period on their second power-play opportunity. MacKinnon had the puck at the left circle and centered it to Rantanen, who was at the top of the crease. Rantanen went to one knee and deflected the pass over Swayman's left shoulder at 16:13.

It was Rantanen's 21st goal of the season.

Colorado went ahead early in the second when O'Connor stole the puck from Shattenkirk deep in the Bruins' zone and lifted a shot over Swayman at 2:23 for O'Connor's sixth goal of the season.

Beecher tied it at 10:05 of the second when he lunged to poke Danton Heinen's rebound by Georgiev for Beecher's fifth goal of the season.

Malinski, recalled from the AHL earlier in the day to replace Josh Manson (undisclosed) in the lineup, got his second of the season to put the Avalanche ahead 3-2 at 17:56 of the second.

Marchand tied it again when scored his second of the night and 17th of the season, tipping a centering pass from Charlie Coyle at 5:46 of the third.

—Field Level Media

Latest