Recap: Brindley scores, Avs finally win in overtime

Unlike the Halloween movies, the Colorado Avalanche actually ended the curse.

Gavin Brindley ended Colorado’s five-game overtime losing streak with a clutch goal, giving the Avalanche a 5-4 win over Vancouver on Sunday at Rogers Arena.

Nathan MacKinnon was unstoppable, scoring twice—including a power-play marker—and adding three assists for a five-point night. After a massive weekend where he racked up nine points, including two goals and two assists in Saturday’s 9-1 thrashing of Edmonton, he now sits atop the NHL in goals (14) and points (29). And he wasn’t the only one lighting it up.

Artturi Lehkonen had a two-goal night, including one on the power play, while Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin each added a pair of assists. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots.

For Vancouver, Linus Karlsson, Kiefer Sherwood, Jake DeBrusk, and Drew O’Connor found the net, while Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves.

The Avs struck first at 6:41. Makar carried the puck through the neutral zone, slipped it to Nichushkin, who sold a fake, and then MacKinnon buried a one-timer into a wide-open net. Just minutes later, after Colton drew a slashing penalty, MacKinnon scored again on the power play, taking a slightly sloppy drop pass from Olofsson and firing it past Lankinen anyway.

Vancouver finally got on the board at 11:47 when Karlsson poked in a rebound after Hronek’s shot off Blackwood’s pads ricocheted to the side of the net. Devon Toews was unable to get Karlsson off the puck and the latter scored off the backhand.

Makar got whistled late in the period after Garland took an extra jab at Blackwood. The Avs star wasn’t having it—he grabbed Garland from behind and drove him to the ice, earning a roughing penalty. Colorado killed it off, and Drury nearly added another on a breakaway, but Lankinen made the save. Despite trailing 16-9 in shots Colorado held a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play.

It didn’t take long for Vancouver to tie the game as at 1:55 Sherwood slipped a backhand past Blackwood after Toews mishandled a clearing attempt and Marty Necas’ attempt to keep it in their possession didn’t add much help to the situation.

At 10:08, Nichushkin got a holding call on DeBrusk, though replays made it look like just a collision. The Avs killed it off again. Later, Toews had a sharp one-timer from the point that was turned away by Lankinen. Olofsson’s late holding penalty didn’t help the Canucks either, as Colorado’s penalty kill continued to dominate to keep it a 2-2 tie going into the final frame.

Just 30 seconds in, Lehkonen gave the Avs a 3-2 lead by redirecting Burns’ slap-pass past Hughes’ check. Colorado came out strong after a rough second period without their best game.

A power play at 6:45 didn’t go as planned. Nichushkin turned the puck over twice, and O’Connor raced in for a breakaway, tying the game at three as the Canucks scored shorthanded.

The back and forth action continued as Brindley drew a holding penalty on Willander with 10:50 left, and 37 seconds later, Lehkonen scored again on a rebound from Necas to put Colorado back in front, 4-3.

And yet that score didn’t hold as Vancouver pushed late, and Blackwood made two huge stops on Hughes and Pettersson. But a late cross-check by Landeskog gave the Canucks a late power play. Boeser found DeBrusk, who redirected it past Blackwood, tying the game at 4-4 with just over three minutes left.

Makar fired several shots in the dying seconds, but Lankinen held strong. And alas, overtime awaited the Avs.

Finally, the Avalanche came through in the extra period. On a pass from Makar, Brindley carried the puck up the ice and fired from the left circle. Lankinen kicked it aside, but Brindley pounced on the rebound and poked it home for the 5-4 win.

Two dragons were slayed in this contest despite the Avalanche not having their A game. Not one but two power play goals were scored and they finally won in overtime. Maybe it finally had to do with mixing up personnel putting Lehkonen on the power play and Brindley on ice in overtime and Colorado was rewarded.

The Avalanche (10-1-5) head back home on Tuesday, November 11th to face the new look Anaheim Ducks (11-3-1) at Ball Arena for a puck drop at 7 p.m. local time.