DENVER (AP) — Casey Mittelstadt put an end to a 19-game scoring dry spell with a decisive goal in the third period, propelling the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-2 victory over the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. Mittelstadt, who last found the net on November 18 in Philadelphia, had been relegated to the fourth line prior to this breakthrough performance. His redemption came at 7:22 into the third period as he redirected Josh Manson’s shot past Winnipeg’s Eric Comrie, securing Colorado’s fifth consecutive win.
Artturi Lehkonen and Devon Toews also notched goals, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 21 saves. Mikko Rantanen and Ross Colton sealed the win with empty-net goals. Although the Avalanche maintained a one-goal lead in both the first and second periods, Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi managed to pull the Jets level each time, temporarily disrupting Colorado’s momentum and ending Winnipeg’s four-game winning streak.
Key Points:
Jets: Comrie, who had a goals-against average of 3.05 coming into the game—1.05 higher than Connor Helleybuck—put up a strong performance against Colorado, making 31 saves. Defenseman Dylan DeMelo exited the game late in the third period after taking a shot to the leg and did not return.
Avalanche: In his first game back since November 25, Jonathan Drouin contributed an assist. Drouin had been sidelined for 16 games due to an upper-body injury and was slotted into the second line. Meanwhile, Ivan Ivan remains sidelined for several weeks with the same injury, paving the way for Juuso Parssinen to become the 38th player to take the ice for Colorado this season.
Key Moment:
Following Mittelstadt’s go-ahead goal, Winnipeg pushed hard for an equalizer and came close when the puck rebounded off the backboards to Kyle O’Connor. However, Blackwood denied the attempt with a crucial pad save with just 3:02 remaining.
Key Stat:
Excluding the seasons that began in January in 2020-21 and 2012-13, as well as the postponed game against Dallas in 2021-22, the Avalanche have now hosted 10 consecutive games on New Year’s Eve. In those matches, they hold a record of 5-3-2.
Upcoming Matches:
The Jets will kick off an eight-game homestand against Anaheim on Thursday, while the Avalanche are set to host Buffalo on the same night.
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