Devon Toews’ three-point night leads Avalanche past Panthers

The Colorado Avalanche started the season with a dud against a recent Stanley Cup champion, the Vegas Golden Knights.

But the Avs looked like a completely different club Monday night, completing the first half of the regular season with a decisive effort against the defending champion Florida Panthers. Devon Toews scored twice, Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves and the Avalanche notched their 25th victory in 41 games, a 3-1 victory at Ball Arena.

“(We’ve come) a long way,” Toews said. “Moving pieces in and out of the lineup, but we stuck with it. We felt like we played our game at different times this year, but not consistently enough. Over the last 10 to 15 games we have been more consistent.

“You’re going to get more wins and more points by doing that.”

Colorado started this season 0-4, including an 8-4 loss to Vegas on opening night, and the Avs were 14-13 at one point. But they have thrived since swapping both guards in two trades 10 days apart and finished the first half on an 11-2-1 run.

Toews scored his second goal of the night from almost the same spot in the offensive zone. Shortly after a solid power play, Ross Colton fed Toews at the top of the zone and he beat Sergei Bobrovsky for the second time with a long-range wrist shot.

It was Toews’ fifth goal of the season. Four of them came in the last four games on Monday night, the second multi-goal game of Toews’ career. His first took place on May 8, 2021, for the Avalanche against the Los Angeles Kings.

Mikko Rantanen added an empty-net goal for his team-high 24th goal of the season. Toews had an assist to complete a three-point night. Nathan MacKinnon had the other assist to increase his NHL point total to 66.

Unlike the Avs’ 2-1 shootout loss two nights earlier to the Montreal Canadiens, this game had plenty of high-end scoring opportunities. It took a while, but the Panthers made Blackwood work in the second half of this contest. Bobrovsky was strong throughout.

“If we lose early, I know if I do my job we’ll still be in the game no matter what,” Blackwood said. Every night we play so well, with so much offensive talent. It won’t be the case every night, but most of the time, if you do your job, they will come out on top.

Florida didn’t have many chances in the first period, but Carter Verhaeghe had the Panthers’ best chance at 15:57. Anton Lundell and Jesper Boqvist won a battle along the right wall at center ice, and the puck was released to Verhaeghe.

Lundell came out of the scrum first and helped create a 2-on-1, then he and Verhaeghe completed a perfect give-and-go to put the Panthers in front. Colorado had an 11-4 lead in shots on goal, but Florida led on the scoreboard during the first intermission.

The Avs continued to find chances in the middle of the period. Cale Makar hit the left post and MacKinnon hit the crossbar, while Bobrovsky also made several solid saves.

Finally, it was a well-placed wrist shot from the top of the offensive zone that Bobrovsky was unable to stop. Toews found a hole in traffic that came off the crossbar, off the goalie’s back and across the goal line at 18:18 of the second.

When the Winnipeg Jets got off to an NHL-record 15-1 start, they had a 14-point advantage over the Avalanche. When the Jets arrived at Ball Arena on New Year’s Eve, they entered the day with an 11-point lead.

Both teams are now at 41 games and the Avs are five points behind.

“Just finding our game, playing consistent hockey,” Makar said. “You’re going to have periods where you’re not playing your best, and you’re going to have periods where you have to find ways to win games.

“This is us right now.”

Footnote: Valeri Nichushkin was on the ice Monday before the Avs’ morning skate at Ball Arena. Nichushkin missed the last two games with a lower body injury after earning the win against Winnipeg. Avs coach Jared Bednar said Nichushkin will join the club on the upcoming three-game road trip during the team’s pregame show.

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Originally published: January 6, 2025 at 9:55 p.m. MST