Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Dec 20, 2024 6:22 am

Avalanche, Ducks aim to extend late-game success

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, with both teams riding the momentum of third-period comebacks.

The Avalanche, trailing 2-1 through 48 minutes against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, broke out with three unanswered goals to secure a 4-2 win.

Mikko Rantanen scored on the power play for the equalizer 8:26 into the third period, and Joel Kiviranta added goals at the 13:06 and 15:58 marks to put Colorado ahead.

It was just the Avalanche’s third win in 18 games when trailing after two periods this season, yet goalie Mackenzie Blackwood said his teammates felt “no panic” during the second intermission.

“Just (a) calm, composed, solid third period,” said Blackwood, who made 32 saves. “They knew what they had to do. It’s nice to watch. … You can see that character coming here.”

Late-game heroics have powered Anaheim’s two-game winning streak, as the Ducks trailed both contests entering the final five minutes of the third period.

On Saturday, Jackson LaCombe’s goal at 17:14 of the third frame paved the way for Alex Killorn’s overtime winner in a 4-3 road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Back home against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, the Ducks turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory on Frank Vatrano’s equalizer 15:14 into the third period and then Troy Terry’s game-winning tally with 26 seconds left.

Since the Jets were playing their second game in as many nights, Terry felt the Ducks “did a really good job of … capitalizing on” Winnipeg’s fatigue.

“We were able to have a few days just to (get) everyone get healthy and get rested,” Terry said. “We’ve been on the other side of that when it’s a back-to-back. … It gets tiring come the second and third period.”

Colorado is 1-2-0 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.

Terry leads Anaheim in assists (16) and points (25) and is tied with Vatrano for the team’s goal lead with nine. Over the Ducks’ past eight games, linemates Terry (three goals, six assists) and Vatrano (five goals, three assists) have combined for 17 points.

Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in both points (52) and assists (39) after setting up a pair of goals against San Jose.

Rantanen leads the Avalanche with 19 goals after scoring once at San Jose. The star forward has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) over a seven-game points streak.

Scott Wedgewood is expected to start in net for the Avalanche on Friday. Wedgewood has a 3-2-0 record, a .931 save percentage and 1.92 goals-against average in five games with Colorado since being acquired in a Nov. 30 trade with the Nashville Predators.

Since Lukas Dostal faced Winnipeg, John Gibson should play Friday if the Ducks continue their recent trend of rotating goaltender starts. Gibson owns a .925 save percentage and 2.47 GAA in his career against the Avalanche despite a 10-10-2 record.

Both the Ducks and Avalanche have struggled at killing penalties this season, but Colorado’s penalty-kill unit has started to round into form. Opponents are only 1-for-17 on the power play in Colorado’s past seven games.

The Avalanche are 13-1-2 in their past 16 games against Anaheim. The dominant stretch includes a 4-3 Colorado win in overtime on Oct. 18 in Denver.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

Overwatch League
Sep 29, 2025 1:51 am

Spacestation Gaming keeps DhillDucks winless at OWCS NA Stage 3

Spacestation Gaming moved up the standings with a dominant effort over winless DhillDucks on Sunday at the Overwatch Champions Series 2025 — North America Stage 3. While Spacestation won in…

Liam Coen
Sep 29, 2025 12:30 am

Jags coach Liam Coen, 49ers DC Robert Saleh in heated exchange after game

Previously unbeaten San Francisco’s loss to Jacksonville on Sunday included a heated exchange after the game between 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, who had…

pete alonso
Sep 28, 2025 11:28 pm

Mets’ Pete Alonso will re-enter free agent market

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso told reporters after Sunday’s season finale that he would opt out of his contract and test the free agent market again before the…

More News News

Overwatch League
Sep 29, 2025 1:51 am

Spacestation Gaming keeps DhillDucks winless at OWCS NA Stage 3

Spacestation Gaming moved up the standings with a dominant effort over winless DhillDucks on Sunday at the Overwatch Champions Series 2025 — North America Stage 3. While Spacestation won in…

Liam Coen
Sep 29, 2025 12:30 am

Jags coach Liam Coen, 49ers DC Robert Saleh in heated exchange after game

pete alonso
Sep 28, 2025 11:28 pm

Mets’ Pete Alonso will re-enter free agent market

bad bunny
Sep 28, 2025 11:05 pm

Bad Bunny to perform Super Bowl LX halftime show

Juju watkins
Sep 28, 2025 10:40 pm

JuJu Watkins declares she’ll sit out 2025-26 season

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds
[gs-fb-comments]