Weight tossed as Islanders rocked

DENVER — The Avalanche have relied on their stars to carry the offense, but it was the supporting cast that got things rolling on New Year’s Eve.

Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in less than two minutes in the second period, and Colorado routed the Islanders 6-1 on Sunday night.

Carl Soderberg and Erik Johnson had a goal and an assist each, and Matt Nieto and Patrik Nemeth also scored for Colorado, which blew open the game with four goals in the second.

The first two goals of the frame came from Soderberg and Nieto, who make up the third line along with Blake Comeau. The trio combined for 43 points entering Sunday, which matched top-line center Nathan MacKinnon’s total.

The Islanders lost the game and head coach Doug Weight, who was given a game misconduct after Landeskog’s first goal.

Josh Bailey scored for the Islanders, which has lost six straight on the road. Jaroslav Halak had 30 saves, including 19 in the second period when Colorado put a season-high 23 shots on goal. He was replaced by Thomas Greiss after two periods.

“We had poor execution today and we didn’t seem as hungry on the puck as they were,” Islanders captain John Tavares said. “We aren’t winning enough battles and that’s not creating a whole lot. Obviously they came out hard and skated well. We just didn’t have our best today for whatever reason and it’s disappointing. Starting with my- self, we have to look ourselves in the mirror and know we have a big week ahead where we have to challenge ourselves to be better.”

The Avalanche took a 3-0 lead on goals by Nemeth, Nieto and Soderberg, and then blew it open at the end of the second period. Landeskog scored on the power play with 3:25 left, and after the goal Weight was venting to the officials when he was ejected.

“He just wanted to show some passion,” assistant coach Luke Richardson said of Weight. “Some of the frustration, our team as a whole, we got out-battled from one end of the ice to the other, and your leader’s got to show some passion. It wasn’t there and Doug did that. Sometimes it’s extreme, but when a game like this goes against us, you’ve got to be extreme.”