Colorado Avalanche Dominates Montreal Canadiens
In a riveting display of skill, the Colorado Avalanche showcased their strength with a decisive 7–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Ball Arena on Saturday. Leading the charge was Brock Nelson, who not only netted two goals but also provided two assists, building on his impressive streak of 11 points over the past nine matches. Gabriel Landeskog was also a standout performer, contributing two goals to the onslaught, while Brent Burns, Nathan MacKinnon, and Devon Toews each added one goal to the tally. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Blackwood continued his stellar form, saving 17 of the 19 shots he faced throughout the game.
Game Highlights
The Avalanche’s record now stands at an enviable 18 wins, 1 loss, and 6 overtime losses — the best in the league. For Montreal, Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson managed to score, but it was not enough to significantly challenge the high-flying Avalanche. Jakub Dobeš, in goal for the Canadiens, made 29 saves but could not quell the Colorado offense.
The game kicked off with Nelson quickly asserting dominance. Although he started by serving a two-minute minor for high-sticking, he came back strong, capitalizing on a perfect diagonal pass from Artturi Lehkonen. Nelson smoothly fired a wrist shot past Dobeš, marking his 600th career point in a moment of triumph.
Initially, Nelson appeared to net a second before a scoring review shifted credit to Landeskog following a collision involving Montreal’s Josh Anderson. After confirmation from the league that Landeskog made contact with the puck before it entered the net, the goal was rightfully awarded to Landeskog.
In the second period, after Nelson won a clean draw, Burns unleashed a shot that marked his 264th goal in the NHL, tying him for ninth all-time among defensemen, a testament to his enduring skill on the ice. Nelson wasn’t finished, as he soon secured his second goal with assistance from Martin Nečas. This moment led to a humorous scene where fans mistakenly celebrated what they thought was a hat trick with piles of hats thrown onto the ice, only to find out otherwise.
Montreal did find a brief pause in Colorado’s offensive barrage when Juraj Slafkovský assisted Matvei Demidov to score, bringing the score to 4–1. However, the Avalanche responded swiftly with another goal from MacKinnon, capitalizing on a rebound off Landeskog’s shot for a 5–1 lead.
The third period saw the Avalanche extend their lead further as Nečas set up Toews for his first goal of the season. While Montreal managed to score again through a power play goal from Hutson’s booming one-timer, Colorado quickly fired back with a power play goal of their own, with Landeskog icing the game with a rebound goal to finalize the score at 7-2.
Looking Ahead
Next up for the Avalanche is a matchup against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, December 2, with coverage starting at 7 p.m. local time. Fans can also catch more hockey content and latest updates by subscribing to The Hockey News or their newsletter.
