On the second game in the back-to-back series against the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm, Sweden, the Colorado Avalanche lost their third consecutive game, this time by the score of 4-3. The loss marks the second time this season the Avalanche have lost three in a row.
The Senators won the contest and the series, but the real winners were the people of Sweden, as they saw fellow countrymen record eight total points in the Global Series as a whole. In the two contests, Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson led all Swedish-born players with four assists. Johnny Oduya had a goal and an assist, Fredrick Claesson had a goal and Colorado’s Gabe Landeskog tallied an assist.
Ultimately, Ottawa swept the series and took four points away from the weekend. Colorado did not leave Stockholm empty handed, however, as they earned one point for losing in overtime on Friday.
As is tradition in the NHL, the second night of the back-to-back featured backup goaltenders Jonathan Bernier and Ottawa’s Mike Condon in each net to begin the game.
Blake Comeau was the first to score after he forced Erik Karlsson to make a turnover at the blue line and finished the breakaway scoring on a smooth wrist-shot in the top corner of the net, over Condon’s glove side. Comeau’s goal would be the only scoring play of the period and the Avalanche closed the period with a 1-0 lead.
The score was tied at one just twelve seconds into the second period after Mike Hoffman dumped the puck off of the boards which caused it to bounce off the ice in front of Jonathan Bernier and flutter over his right pad. Shortly after, Ottawa would score again but the goal was overturned as it was determined Bernier was interfered with following a challenge by the Avalanche. The score remained 1-1.
At 8:34 into the second period, the Avalanche power play struck for the 13th time this season. Kerfoot buried the puck from the top of the circle after a feed from Erik Johnson. The goal was good for Kerfoot’s seventh of the season.
Less than one minute later the Senators answered back. An Erik Karlsson blue-line-pinch during the Avs breakout created a turnover that found teammate Mark Stone alone in front of the net. Stone’s goal was his third in the two games against Colorado.
The back-and-forth continued as the Avalanche scored again after Sven Andrighetto’s pass was deflected off of an Ottawa defender’s stick and bounced in to the top corner of the goal. The goal was Andrighetto’s fifth of the season and Avs defenseman Andrei Mironov recorded his first NHL point on the play. Ottawa then switched goaltender’s and former Av Craig Anderson finished the game in net for the Senators.
The scoring explosion was over and the Avalanche headed to the dressing room with a 3-2 lead, but were losing the shot count, 26-12.
Once again, Ottawa tied the game. At 7:01 in to the third period, the Swedes continued to score in Stockholm, as native son Johnny Oduya scored on a powerful slapshot from the point to tie it at 3-3.
Matt Hoffman gave Ottawa its first lead of the game on the power play with 6:37 left in the third period. The goal was Hoffman’s second power-play goal of the evening. Matt Duchene was nearly credited with his first point as an Ottawa Senator, but a Chris Bigras pass deflection negated any assists on the goal.
The Avalanche fly back to Colorado, where they’ll host the Washington Capitals on Thursday at the Pepsi Center.
