Andre Burakovsky scored with 1:31 left in overtime, Pavel Francouz had 34 saves in his first NHL start, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 in Denver on Saturday night.
Nazem Kadri and Tyson Jost scored 1:49 apart midway through the third period, and Cale Makar had two assists to help Colorado sweep its four-game homestand to open the season. The Avalanche have won 10 straight regular-season home games dating back to last season.
Michael Grabner and Nick Schmaltz scored, and Antti Raanta had 29 saves for Arizona.
Coyotes forward Phil Kessel became the 335th player in NHL history to skate in 1,000 games when he took the ice on Saturday night. He also played in his 778th consecutive game, which ranks third among current players and seventh all-time.
Kessel's last missed game was Oct. 31, 2009.
Colorado blew a 2-0 lead but got the win when Burakovsky beat Raanta with a high shot from close in on the left side. It was the second game in a row in which Burakovsky got the game winner.
It was scoreless into the third period when the Avalanche broke through on the power play. Makar took a shot from the point that Raanta stopped, but Kadri grabbed the rebound and flicked it in at 6:57. It was his first of the season.
Less than two minutes later Jost tapped in another rebound off of a Makar shot to give Colorado a 2-0 lead.
The Coyotes came right back to make it a one-goal game on Grabner's wrister that beat Francouz over his right shoulder at 9:27. It was his first of the season.
Schmaltz tied it at 16:03 with his second goal of the season.
Both team had chances, but the goaltenders came up big to keep it a scoreless game into the third period. Colorado's best chance came in the second when Mikko Rantanen was stuffed as he tried to tap in a pass inside the right post.
Later in the period, Francouz made a big save on a blast by Arizona center Vinnie Hinostroza.
--Field Level Media
Arizona | Colorado | |
Michael Grabner 1 | Points | Andre Burakovsky 2 |
Michael Grabner 1 | Goals | Andre Burakovsky 1 |
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1 | Assists | Cale Makar 2 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Nazem Kadri 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Antti Raanta .906 | Save Percentage | Pavel Francouz .944 |
Antti Raanta 29 | Saves | Pavel Francouz 34 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Arizona | 36 | 2 | 0-3 | 3-4 | 8 | 31 |
Colorado | 32 | 3 | 1-4 | 3-3 | 6 | 32 |