Gabriel Landeskog put the Colorado Avalanche on his back in the third period and overtime in Monday’s road opener against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins and carried the Avs out of CONSOL Energy Center with a huge win.
The Avalanche captain scored the game-tying goal in the third period and the game-winner in overtime to earn the game’s first star honors. The victory marks Colorado’s eighth in a row (including a perfect 6-0 preseason) and was the first loss for Pittsburgh, who opened the season with three consecutive home games.
Calvin Pickard picked up the win on 28 saves. Jarome Iginla scored career goal 612 and Patrick Wiercioch netted his first goal as a member of the Avalanche.
Landeskog’s goal to tie it in the third was a thing of beauty – a top-shelf wrister over the left shoulder of Marc-Andre Fleury. The game-winner was not so clean – smacking the puck out of mid-air and flopping it over Fleury – but Colorado will take the result and run.
They face the Capitals in Washington on Monday night.
