Colorado Avalanche stays hot in shootout; edge Los Angeles Kings 2-1 -NHL Update
Colorado Avalanche continued to stay firm in the shootout deciders as they won their seventh straight of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season against the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, on Monday night, January 2, 2012, at the sold-out Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Avalanche is now close to making an NHL record by being the team with the most consecutive wins in the deciding moments of a shootout, without a single loss thus far.
The scoreless first period was a tension riser for both teams, especially when they failed to take advantage of a number of power plays, early on in the opening 20 minutes.
Dustin Brown kicked off the scoring with his 10th of the season, off a backhanded assist by top Los Angeles' forward, Anze Kopitar, in the opening two minutes of the second period.
Colorado gave another chance to the Kings when T.J. Galiardi was called for roughing at the 14:06 mark.
"We have some confidence in shootouts", Colorado Avalanche's coach, Joe Sacco, said. "We have some guys who really know what to do with the puck. And when you feel good about yourself and those situations, you can build that confidence. You need goaltending in this league, and we have certainly got our fair share. Varly was solid all night long".
Ryan O'Reilly levelled the game in the final minutes of regulation after which it seemed like Los Angeles managed to hold them off, with Jonathan Quick eyeing his sixth shutout of the season, but failing to block one of 21 attempts on his net.
Colorado had only one attempt throughout the overtime extension but Los Angeles had four, failing to pot a single goal until Milan Hejduk made the game-winner on Colorado’s first attempt in the shootout as the Kings missed on all three.
"I think goaltending's the main thing", Ryan O'Reilly said. "After a couple of wins there, you start to sense confident there on the bench. Guys know we’re going to get the extra point”.
Colorado is now on a three-game winning streak and will be eyeing a fourth when it faces Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, while Edmonton Oilers will be facing the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
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