DENVER (AP) — Gabriel Landeskog scored 1:16 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night for their 15th straight win at home.
Colorado became the first NHL team to win 15 consecutive home games since the Washington Capitals did it Jan. 1 to March 4, 2017. The Avalanche won their previous two home games in shootouts and have won six in a row overall.
Landeskog got the winner, his 15th goal of the season, on a feed from Valeri Nichushkin. His one-timer on a pass across the front of the net beat Cayden Primeau.
Nichushkin also had a goal after missing three games while in health and safety protocols.
Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Artturi Lehkonen also scored for the struggling Canadiens, who took another tough loss on their 10-game road trip. Montreal has just one win on the trip, and four of its losses have come in overtime.
The Canadiens nearly stole a game from the hottest team in the NHL thanks to Primeau. He made 43 saves in place of Sam Montembeault, who was ruled out with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.
The Avalanche took a 2-0 lead on power-play goals by Alex Newhook and Nichushkin in the first and second periods, respectively. Primeau kept it close with 22 saves in the first period and 10 more in the second.
Montreal had several odd-man rushes in the second and cashed in on a 2-on-1 when Lehkonen beat Darcy Kuemper just inside the right post at 18:17.
Kuemper finished with 28 saves.
Nazem Kadri had a goal overturned early in the third when the Canadiens challenged for offside. They tied it on Suzuki’s power-play goal at 8:06.
NOTES: Canadiens LW Jonathan Drouin was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury sustained Thursday at Vegas. He returned to Montreal, the team said. ... Devon Toews finished with three assists and Sam Girard had two for Colorado. ... Canadiens RW Brendan Gallagher (lower-body injury) is close to returning. He has not played since Dec. 30.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: At the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.
Avalanche: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.
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