National Hockey League
Colorado 3, Philadelphia 1
When: 9:30 PM ET, Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Referees: Trevor Hanson, Dean Morton
Linesmen: Kiel Murchison, Andrew Smith
Attendance: 17905

Mikko Rantanen scored two goals, Pavel Francouz had 32 saves, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 in Denver on Wednesday night.

Matt Calvert also scored to lead the Avalanche to their seventh win in the last eight games.

Claude Giroux had a goal, and Carter Hart stopped 24 shots for Philadelphia.

The Flyers were without their leading scorer, forward Travis Konecny, who suffered a concussion in the 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Konecny has 11 goals and 17 assists, both team highs.

Colorado goaltender Philipp Grubauer was expected to return after missing one game but was scratched, and Adam Werner was called up from the AHL affiliate to serve as the backup to Francouz.

The Avalanche got their first goal when Calle Rosen took a shot from the point that went off a body and then hit the left post. It caromed across the crease behind Hart to the right side, where Calvert corralled it and put it in with a backhand at 5:21 of the first period. It was his sixth of the season.

The Flyers swarmed in the second period, getting the first 11 shots of the frame and finishing with a 17-5 edge for the 20 minutes, but it was Colorado that scored the only goal.

J.T. Compher had the puck at the Philadelphia blue line and slid a pass to Nathan MacKinnon as he skated into the zone. MacKinnon brought it to the left circle and sent the puck over to Rantanen as he came down the right side. Rantanen tipped it just inside the post at 16:05 to put Colorado ahead 2-0.

Rantanen gave the Avalanche a three-goal lead when he crashed the net, got a pass from behind the net from Nazem Kadri and one-timed it high over Hart at 2:31 of the third. It was his eighth of the season.

Philadelphia ended Francouz's shutout bid when Giroux scored his 10th goal on a rebound at 14:48 of the third.

Hart came off for an extra skater with about three minutes left, but Francouz stood strong.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Philadelphia   Colorado
Claude Giroux 1 Points Mikko Rantanen 2
Claude Giroux 1 Goals Mikko Rantanen 2
Sean Couturier 1 Assists Pierre-Edouard Bellemare 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Carter Hart .889 Save Percentage Pavel Francouz .970
Carter Hart 24 Saves Pavel Francouz 32
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Philadelphia 33 1 0-2 2-2 4 36
Colorado 27 3 0-2 2-2 4 27
Upcoming Games
  • Colorado will play their next game at home against New Jersey. The Avalanche have a W/L % of .684 after a win and .583 after a loss.
  • Philadelphia will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Flyers have a W/L % of .588 after a win and .500 after a loss.