Avalanche start strong, fade late again in loss to Islanders

Corey Masisak, The Denver Post on Jan 28, 2025

Published in Hockey

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ELMONT, N.Y. — It’s become a pattern now: The Colorado Avalanche look like the better team for the better part of the first 40 minutes and then the final period is a problem.

Colorado had all kinds of chances in the first two periods Tuesday night at UBS Arena, but the New York Islanders proved more opportunistic in the third period and defeated the Avs, 5-2.

Each contest on this three-game road trip has played out in a similar fashion, though the Avs were able to survive Sunday at Madison Square Garden thanks to late-game heroics from Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen. There was no such magic on Tuesday night.

The loss ended a crazy trip for the club that started with a stunning blockbuster trade of Mikko Rantanen on Friday night ahead of back-to-back matinee starts.

The Avs had Monday off to regroup, but that wasn’t enough to avoid another late fade.

The Islanders took the lead early in the third period on a play that didn’t look that dangerous … until it was. Avs defenseman Calvin de Haan had control of the puck behind his own net. Sam Malinski came to help him, but his outlet pass hit a skate and went right back to the guy who had been battling with de Haan.

Simon Holmstrom collected it and then used de Haan as a screen to wheel and fire one off the far post and past Mackenzie Blackwood.

The Avs thought they had tied the game with a right-point shot from Josh Manson, but that goal was challenged and waived off for interference because recent trade acquisition Jack Drury was in the crease.

New York’s Bo Horvat made it a 3-1 advantage with 8:37 remaining. Islanders captain Anders Lee brought the puck out from behind the net and it appeared to be a stuff attempt, but it went right to Horvat near the left post.

Drury scored his second goal with the Avalanche with 5:05 remaining to get his new club back within one. Fellow newcomer Martin Necas set him up for his second straight two-assist outing.

But New York defenseman Alexander Romanov added an insurance tally with 2:29 remaining and Holmstrom finished the Avs off with an empty-netter.

Colorado’s top line was dominating the puck on nearly every shift but got caught out on the ice after a long foray in the offensive end and the Islanders countered to score first at 4:11 of the second period.

Makar tried to collect the puck near the offensive blue line but new Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo grabbed it and sent a long diagonal pass to Brock Nelson. His one-touch snap pass back across the ice missed Lee, but the Isles captain tracked it down in the offensive zone and Necas wasn’t able to cut him off as he darted to the net and backhanded a shot through the legs of Blackwood.

The top unit atoned for that play later in the period with a beautiful team goal. Necas collected a pass in the neutral zone and then weaved through multiple defenders for a clean zone entry. When he circled back near the top of the left circle, Necas found Nathan MacKinnon cutting to the net on the right side.

MacKinnon sent a pass across to the left post for Lehkonen, who had fallen down but still scored on a one-timer while sitting on the ice at 13:00 of the middle period.

It was Lehkonen’s 21st goal of the season. That matches his career high, set two years ago, despite this only being his 40th game of the season. It was also Necas’ third assist in three games with the Avalanche, and MacKinnon’s league-leading 76th point.

The Avs created plenty in the first period, but the Islanders did at the other end as well. It was a wide-open, up-and-down scoreless 20 minutes, thanks to strong work from both goaltenders.