DENVER (AP) — Philipp Grubauer got his 100th career win with a 13-save night to lead the Colorado Avalanche past the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Monday night.
Grubauer has 57 wins since joining Colorado before the 2018-19 season and notched his 21st this season.
“He’s been amazing for us and tonight was no different,” coach Jared Bednar said. “When we had breakdowns he was there to close the door and make the big saves when we needed them.”
Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Jost scored in the second period to help Colorado extend its points streak to 11 games (9-0-2). Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Compher and Valeri Nichushkin also scored, Cale Makar had three assists and Nathan MacKinnon added two.
“It was a great game for us,” Jost said. “We knew they were coming off a back-to-back and we wanted to get after them right away. It was a great effort by our team and we’re rolling right now, so we want to keep that up.”
Danton Heinen and Troy Terry scored for the Ducks. Ryan Miller made several highlight saves but was overwhelmed by 48 shots. He finished with 43 saves for Anaheim, which had its two-game win streak snapped at the end of a five-game road trip.
It’s the sixth time in the last 11 games the Avalanche have put 41 or more shots on goal.
“It was a tough situation for Millsy to come into,” coach Dallas Eakins said. “End of a road trip, back-to-back, travel against an elite team. Even though they scored a handful of goals he played and excellent, excellent game.”
Rantanen and Heinen traded goals in the first period and it stayed tied into the second despite the Ducks going nearly 17 minutes without a shot on goal spanning the first and second periods.
Jost broke the tie when he scored on a rebound 3:59 into the second and Landeskog’s deflection at 16:20, his 12th goal, gave Colorado a 3-1 lead.
Terry, who played his college hockey at the University of Denver, scored at 3:19 of the third to make it a one-goal game. It was his seventh of the season and his fourth goal in the last three games against the Avalanche.
“I’m kind of upset it’s our last game here,” Terry said. “For some reason my legs have felt good when we’ve been here. With me it’s all about my confidence and how I’m feeling. They’re a fun team to play. They’re fast, they’re offensive and they play a fast game.”
Colorado put it away later in the period with goals by Compher and Nichushkin, who also had an assist.
Things got chippy late in the game and Anaheim’s Nicolas Deslauriers was given a game misconduct when he tangled with Nazem Kadri. The Ducks took 10 penalties on the night, three in the second period. The Avalanche cashed in on one power-play opportunity to score what turned out to be the winning goal.
“I didn’t love a few of those calls. Some of them were quite soft,” Eakins said. “That’s what you’re going to get with a team that can skate like that. You literally have to skate with your stick on the ice at all times. It’s very obvious some of their players aren’t allowed to be touched.”
GIBSON SCRATCHED AGAIN
Anaheim G John Gibson was scratched for the second straight game due to a lower-body injury. He is considered day-to-day.
SITTING OUT
Avalanche D Bo Byram was out of the lineup again with an upper-body injury. He didn’t take part in the morning skate and Bednar said he is day-to-day.
Colorado LW Matt Calvert was out of the lineup for the third straight game.
UP NEXT
Ducks: Host the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night.
Avalanche: Hosts the Coyotes on Wednesday night.
