Avalanche downs Canadiens in overtime to extend home winning streak to 15 games

The celebration was somewhat subdued. The Avalanche continues to win but isn’t thrilled with its play of late.

A disallowed third-period goal threatened to end Colorado’s 14-game home winning streak on Saturday, but the club extended its overtime winning streak to three games to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 at Ball Arena.

Gabe Landeskog’s goal 1:16 into the 3-on-3 OT made Colorado the first NHL team to win 15 straight games at home since the Washington Capitals in 2017. The Avs, who were coming off two underwhelming victories in Southern California where their goalies were their best players, also extended their overall winning streak to six games and points streak to 12 (11-0-1).

Still, the Avalanche (28-8-3) was generally not pleased with its overall play against the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling Canadiens (8-25-7).

“Definitely wasn’t pretty, wasn’t anywhere near our best, but it is a strength, for sure, to be able to find a way to win those hockey games, no matter where you are in the standings and where the other team is in the standings,” Landeskog said. “There’s no easy games, so absolutely, big to win another one at home for sure.”

Defensemen Devon Toews and Sam Girard combined for five assists. Toews was on the game-winning play with forward Valeri Nichushkin, who made the pass to Landeskog for the game-winner, and Girard had the two primary assists on power-play goals from Alex Newhook and Nichushkin that gave Colorado a 2-0 lead.

Goalie Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves for the Avs, who improved to 6-3 beyond regulation for the season.

The Avs appeared to take a 3-1 lead early in the third period but Nazem Kadri, who scored on the play, was ruled offside after Montreal challenged. Kadri then became tangled up with Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry, who fell to the ice and was bloodied. Petry was assessed an interference minor and Kadri a double-minor for high sticking.

Montreal capitalized on the power play at 8:02 to knot it 2-2.

“Definitely not our best stuff,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “But I’d rather be learning lessons while we’re still winning. We have a higher standard in our play than that.”

He added: “Big picture, we have to know we have to be better to win hockey games.”

The Avs led 2-0 before Montreal solved Kuemper late in the second period. The Canadiens were good in transition late in the frame and cut their deficit in half at 18:17 when Artturi Lehkonen one-timed a circle-to-circle feed from Nick Suzuki.

Montreal was in the ninth leg of a 10-game road stretch that was split up by a COVID shutdown. The Canadiens were playing in Denver for the first time since Dec. 19, 2018. The Avs, who defeated the Habs 4-1 on Dec. 2 in Montreal, are 8-3-0 in their last 11 games against the Original Six franchise.

Footnotes. Colorado’s 23 shots in the first 20 minutes were the third highest in a period in club history. The Avs had 25 against Minnesota last season and 29 against Los Angeles in 1997. … The Avs’ scratches were defensemen Ryan Murray (injury) and Bo Byram (personal leave). Forward Darren Helm remains on injured reserve. … Montreal concludes its 10-game road stretch on Monday at Minnesota, and then begins an eight-game homestand.