MONTREAL, QC — Cale Makar scored to put Colorado ahead to stay late in the second period, Valeri Nichushkin had a goal and an assist, and the Avalanche beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Thursday night.
Andre Burakovsky and Gabriel Landeskog also scored for the Avalanche, who bounced back from an ugly 8-3 loss at Toronto a night earlier.
Goalie Jonas Johansson made 19 saves for Colorado.
Ben Chiarot scored for Montreal, and Jake Allen stopped 30 of 33 shots.
Colorado opened the scoring with a short-handed goal in the second period. Logan O’Connor passed to a wide-open Nichushkin in front of the net.
Chiarot leveled the score for Montreal with his fifth goal of the season. His slap shot from the point deflected off an Avalanche player and ringed off the post before beating Johansson.
The Avs regained the lead late in the second when Makar deflected Samuel Girard’s shot from the blue line for his 10th goal of the season.
Burakovsky gave Colorado a 3-1 advantage in the third period by tapping in a loose puck in front of the net.
A fan, seemingly frustrated by the Canadiens’ recent poor play, threw a Habs jersey on the ice during the third period.
Landeskog added an empty-netter with 2:49 left.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: At Ottawa on Saturday.
Canadiens: At Nashville on Saturday.
>>Video above: Colorado Avalanche honor late GM Pierre Lacroix
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