AVALANCHE-CANADIENS TAKEAWAYS: Mikko To Rescue

It was something of a snoozer of a game between the Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens. Until that last sequence in overtime, that is. After Alexandar Georgiev made a great save on Jonathan Drouin, Mikko Rantanen grabbed the loose puck in the crease and went on the 2-on-1 attack with Devon Toews.

Mikko, 5-hole through the pads of Jake Allen, and that was your hockey game. 2-1 for the Avalanche in overtime, the team’s fifth win in the last six games. They finished with eight out of 10 points on this five-game homestand.

Artturi Lehkonen scored the other Colorado Avalanche goal, against his former team. The Avalanche started out a little slow, but they pretty much dominated puck possession after that.

Rantanen continues to carry much of the load offensively for this team. That was his 22nd goal of the season.

NOTES, QUOTES AND TAKEAWAYS

• Denis Malgin skated at left wing on the third line, with Ben Meyers and Logan O’Connor. I thought he did a lot of good things out there, though he did get called for a borderline slash in the third period. He’s got a lot more skill with the puck than Dryden Hunt though, that’s for sure.
• I’m starting to like Andreas Englund more and more. He’s playing a pretty responsible game in his own end, and he hits guys pretty hard with that size.

• The next Avalanche reverse retro jersey night is Dec. 29 against the Kings.
• Tonight was the 149th regular-season meeting between these two franchises who used to share a province … Colorado/Quebec is 61-72-15 all-time against Montreal but do hold a 22-10-3 edge since the franchise relocated to Denver … The Avs are 13-2-1 at home against the Canadiens since relocating which includes five straight wins here at Ball Arena.
•  The Avs are currently in a stretch that finds them playing seven of eight and 10 of 13 at home … This is the last home game before the Holiday Break, as the Avalanche will play in Nashville on Friday before taking three days off … Friday’s game concludes a stretch of 13 games in 25 days as the club has played every other day since Nov. 29 … There have been no games on Christmas Eve since 1972 (when three were played) and none on Christmas Day since 1971 (when six were played) … There have been none on Dec. 26 since 2011-12.
• Georgiev only had to face 19 shots. Allen face 36 shots.
• ARTTURI LEHKONEN: “I feel like during this homestand, we’ve played pretty good hockey. We’ve played tight hockey  defensively and we know if we do the job in the defensive zone, we’re going to get opportunities in the offensive zone  as well.” On Colorado G Alexandar Georgiev: “I feel like he’s playing really well for us. I know it’s not easy for a goalie if there’s  not a lot of shots, but he’s been aggressive in the net and making big saves when the time comes.”

  Colorado G Alexandar Georgiev 

  On Tonight’s Game: “Tough first shot on that one and just have to forget it. We have a lot of hockey in front of us and  [just] play my game. The first period, I felt like I made a couple of great saves. The second and third, it was a lot of  moments in the other end and I was sitting there waiting for whatever comes and just trying to play the puck well and  move around, not be cold. The boys managed to get a big win for us.” 

  On His Overtime Save: “The guy was driving to the net and I tried to cover the lower part of it. I felt like he pushed into  me and got a little contact and good thing it stayed out. We managed to put it in the net.” 

  Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen 

   On The Avs’ Defensive Effort: “Goalies are playing well. We had a meeting about it. We need to be better [in] the defen sive zone, shutting off the rush, not giving up so many chances. I think [tonight] and last game against the Islanders,  we did a good job of not giving up a lot.” 

  On The Avs’ Low-Scoring Games: “I think that you try to simplify when you’re going through a rough offensive time.  When you’re not scoring as much, you maybe try to shoot more. I think that’s what we’re doing. Also, scoring goals,  got to relax a little bit. If you try too hard, it’s maybe not going to go in either, but it’s going to come. We have a lot of  skilled guys.”

  Material from Avalanche PR was used in this report