Drouin and Habs survive Avalanche
WIN STREAK ENDS: Colorado sluggish after playing in Toronto Monday and Montreal took advantage
MONTREAL — Jonathan Drouin scored and added two assists as the Montreal Canadiens ended the Colorado Avalanche’s 10-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory Tuesday.
Nicolas Deslauriers, Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, into the empty net, also scored for the Canadiens (20-22-6).
Carey Price made 20 saves for his 14th win of the season.
Nathan MacKinnon and J.T. Compher scored late in the third period for the Avalanche (27-17-3), who lost for the first time in 2018. Colorado’s last defeat was Dec. 27, 2017 against the Arizona Coyotes.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 36 shots in defeat, dropping to 0-7-2 when playing in Montreal. He’s also 1-10-3 all-time versus the Canadiens. Montreal outshot Colorado 40-22. The slumping Canadiens were unlikely streak-breakers coming into the contest, having won just once in their past five games.
The Avalanche were coming off a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday and their legs were heavy to start the game. Colorado fired just five shots on Price in the first, none too dangerous. After a scoreless opening period, Deslauriers set the Avalanche back on their heels by putting the home side in front at 5:42.
After Drouin saw his shot blocked by Mark Barberio, Deslauriers got his stick on the loose puck in the slot and beat Bernier five-hole for his career-high seventh goal of the season.
The 26-year-old’s previous high was six goals in 70 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 2016.
That goal saw the Avalanche trailing for just the second time in 11 games.
It was also the first time the Avalanche conceded the first goal in a game since their last defeat.
Galchenyuk increased Montreal’s lead with a power play marker at 7:58 of the second after sustained puck possession by the Canadiens.
Drouin, playing one of his best games of the season, put the game out of reach with his seventh goal of the campaign at 12:36 of the third after a great individual effort by Jeff Petry along the boards to get him the puck.
It was Drouin’s first three-point game of the year.
MacKinnon ruined Price’s shutout bid two minutes later with a shot from the point before Gallagher scored his 17th of the season in the empty net.
Compher made it 4-2 with 12 seconds remaining on the clock.