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Jan 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche ahead Brock Nelson (11) will get congratulated after scoring his third purpose of the sport in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the course of the third interval at Scotiabank Area. Necessary Credit score: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Photographs The Colorado Avalanche go to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday on the heels of arguably their most disappointing efficiency in what has been a standout season.
The Avalanche sit atop the league standings, 9 factors forward of their closest opponents, however wish to rebound after a dismal 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday within the second outing of a four-game highway journey.
Colorado has managed just one win in 4 video games and two in seven (2-3-2) amidst what has been a dog-days portion of their season.
“You are going to face adversity, there isn’t any query, proper?” Colorado coach Jared Bednar mentioned. “We’ve got to discover a solution to bounce again once more after which string a few video games collectively. But it surely by no means hurts to undergo just a little little bit of a stretch the place it’s important to push and play your greatest, and you bought to reply.”
Colorado, the stingiest workforce within the league defensively, has surrendered 5 or extra objectives in three of its final six outings.
However that’s not the one disappointing side of Wednesday’s conflict.
Colorado was held to 4 pictures on purpose within the first interval, the bottom for a interval this season. Then the Avalanche mustered the identical quantity within the second body.
Even after solely managing 18 pictures on web in Ottawa, Colorado leads the league with a median of 34.6, a full 2.5 greater than the Carolina Hurricanes, who sit second in that stat.
“We could not actually maintain sustained O-zone time to even get pictures,” mentioned ahead Parker Kelly, whose late second-period purpose tied the sport at 1-1. “So not ok for us tonight, and we’ll should grind one out tomorrow in Montreal.”
The Canadiens wish to construct on a 3-2 extra time win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday – the primary a part of a two-game homestand.
Montreal, which holds the Jap Convention’s first wild-card place, snapped a two-game shedding skid by recovering after surrendering a late lead.
“We’re taking part in some actually good groups,” coach Martin St. Louis mentioned. “You have to be calculated, what you do with the puck and your decision-making within the third (interval), and I believed we had been.”
The Canadiens boast a powerful 17-6-0 report in opposition to Western Convention opponents, however that’s not the one noteworthy run.
Ahead Cole Caufield tallied for a sixth consecutive sport, the longest goal-scoring spree of his profession. Caufield, who reached the 30-goal mark, has netted 11 factors (9 objectives, two assists) in his run.
“That is how hockey goes. You may go a few video games and not using a purpose. I identical to the place my sport is at proper now,” Caufield mentioned. “I believe I am getting loads of possibilities.”
Curiously, someday after goaltender Jakub Dobes was spectacular in a 32-save efficiency, the Canadiens fired goaltending coach Eric Raymond on Wednesday and promoted Marco Marciano.
Netminding has been a problem all season for Montreal, which is close to the underside in workforce save share and objectives in opposition to.
“That is an unlucky a part of the enterprise,” president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton mentioned. “We have had some success with the goalies beneath Eric. This is not a one-person reflection. It is an organizational resolution we made to have a brand new voice and transfer ahead. Marco has historical past with our goalies. Some success. We simply felt right now it was the best transfer.”
-Discipline Degree Media
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