WASHINGTON — The Colorado Avalanche needed a bounce-back performance after a season-high four consecutive losses, including one so bad it led to a players-only meeting three nights earlier.
Any type of strong effort would have worked, but some of the individual performances were the most encouraging part of a 6-3 victory Tuesday night against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.
Artturi Lehkonen had his best game since returning from a neck injury with two goals and two assists, multiple depth scorers produced at even strength and the power play converted an opportunity for the first time since the All-Star break.
It still didn’t look like the Avs team that went 13-3-1 before the break. There were hairy moments, particularly in the latter halves of the first and third periods. But it was the first win of the road trip, and a step in the right direction.
“It wasn’t the perfect game, but often times when you’re coming out of not playing great, it isn’t,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You just need a big effort, you need to pay attention to the right things and you’ve got to grind. You’ve got to work and grind. That’s what we did tonight.”
Lehkonen put the Avalanche ahead midway through the second period. Ross Colton’s pass deflected off a Caps player’s stick, but still found its way to Lehkonen near the left post for his first goal since returning Jan. 24. His goal was a nice play, but Lehkonen’s pass to set up the club’s fourth goal was even better.
Colorado was 0 for 14 on the power play since the break until Mikko Rantanen scored with 2:57 left in the second period. Lehkonen received the puck from Nathan MacKinnon at the top of the Washington crease, and then sent a no-look, between-the-legs pass to Rantanen in the right circle for a one-timer and one of the prettiest Avs goals of the season.
“Well, I was ready because he kind of handled it and he had it kind of in his feet, so I tried to kind of creep down there,” Rantanen said. “He was able to find me with the great between-the-legs (pass). It was a great pass.
“It takes a little while. It’s not just a game or two when you feel normal. It probably takes five to seven, eight games to feel that the timing is there, and I could tell today he probably played his best game since he was back, so I was happy for him.”
This was Lehkonen’s second multi-point game of the season — he had four against Carolina in October. He missed 35 games because of a neck injury, and had one point in six games since coming back.
“Of course it’s always fun to score goals,” Lehkonen said. “It was a good win. A big two points for the team.”
The Avs grabbed a 2-0 lead less than five minutes into the first period. Miles Wood set up Colton for a breakaway goal 2:46 in, and then Ryan Johansen fed Devon Toews for a shot through traffic from the top of the offensive zone at 4:57.
Having two of the three centers not named MacKinnon help produce offense felt significant. That trio of players had combined for four goals and 16 points in the past 21 games. For Johansen, it was his ninth point in the past 33 contests and ended a streak of eight games without one.
Washington scored on back-to-back shifts in the middle of the first to even the score. Beck Malenstyn scored on a rebound at 9:16 of the period, then Connor McMichael’s centering pass went off Lehkonen’s skate and in 44 seconds later.
Alex Ovechkin cut Colorado’s lead back to one midway through the third period with the 836th goal of his career. His one-timer on the power play marked his sixth straight game with a goal after an uncharacteristically slow start to his season.
It also came after a penalty call on Josh Manson that befuddled the Avs. Manson was assessed two minutes for elbowing Tom Wilson, but it looked like a clean check. Wilson went down holding his head, presumably because it hit the glass after the hit. The officials huddled and sent Manson to the box, much to his and the Avs’ dismay.
“I don’t even know why (the officials) are getting together,” Bednar said. “There’s no arm in the air. There’s no penalty. He’s hurt. So then they get together and call a two-minute elbowing? I’ve never seen that before.”
Washington had several good looks to tie the game, but Colorado eventually regrouped and got empty-net goals from Lehkonen and Wood to collectively exhale. Colton, MacKinnon, Rantanen, Wood and Bo Byram had two points each.
Now the Avs head to Tampa, Fla., with a chance to still salvage five out of a possible 12 points on this trip.
“Losing four, you kind of lose your confidence in every area, basically,” Rantanen said. “Big to get a power-play goal. We haven’t scored since the break, so I think that gives confidence. And 5-on-5 we’re obviously going to feel more confident with wins. It wasn’t perfect, but just to get the two points it helps with the head.”
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