Kadri lifts Avs to sweep
After two scoreless periods, Colorado center scores twice, assists on Burakovsky’s goal
Nazem Kadri scored twice and assisted on another goal on the third person thursday night to lift tne Avalanche to a 3-0 victory and two-game series sweep over tne San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena.
Colorado (5-3) had scored 15 goals in its last two home games but was held scoreless for the first 49:55 against the Sharks (3-5), who became the first opponent the Avs have swept.
Kadri struck at 9:55 of the final frame, beating Devan Dubnyk in front of the goalie’s left post. Linemates Brandon Saad and former Shark Joonas Donskoi got the assists with hard work, and Saad eventually slid the puck to Kadri from atop the crease.
The Avs doubled their lead 1:58 later, with Andre Burakovsky tapping home Kadri’s pass from above the right circle. Saad got the second assist on the goal.
Kadri and Saad both had a team-low minus-8 rating last week, but they, along with defenseman Sam Girard, led the Avs with a plus-2 on Thursday.
“I thought it was a character win,” Saad said. “Sometimes you’re going to have games like that. We’re not going to win every game by seven goals. For us to stick with it, knowing each period by period play a tight-checking game we’re going to score offense with this team.”
The Sharks took the game’s final penalty and Kadri redirected in Cale Makar’s shot from the point.
Colorado outshot the Sharks 38-21 — including 20-8 in the third period.
Both teams entered the final frame
scoreless and 0-for-3 on the power play, and Colorado fell to 0for-4 when the Sharks’ Ryan Donato was released 1:25 into the final frame. Avs goalie Philipp Grubauer had made 13 saves through two periods and Dubnyk had 18 in front of the other net.
Avs fourth-line center PierreEdouard Bellemare suffered what might be a serious injury in the first period. He collided with Donato in the neutral zone and Bellemare’s right leg was compromised.
With no fans in the building, Bellemare could be heard screaming in pain. He did not return and finished with just 2:20 of ice time.
Colorado’s Matt Calvert, who normally is Bellemare’s right winger, missed his second game will an illness. Calvert has a concussion history and it was revealed that he is not feeling well but has not been diagnosed with a concussion.
Avalanche rookie defenseman Bo Byram, 19, played in his fifth career NHL game — tying his father for games played in the league.
Shawn Byram, 52, was a left wing who played five NHL games in the early 1990s for the New York Islanders (four) and the Chicago Blackhawks (one). He played 15 seasons professionally but mostly in the minor leagues or in Europe.
“I was on the phone with him and I was like, ‘Looks like I’ll be tying your record,’ and he got a good laugh out of it,” Bo said pregame of a conversation he had with his father on Wednesday. “It’s definitely nice having him around. It’s a lot of fun and he’s a great resource for me.”
Footnotes. Goalie Pavel Francouz, who has yet to play this season, remains out with a lower-body injury, and Hunter Miska continues to back up Gruabuer. … Avs star center Nathan MacKinnon produced a shot in his 228th consecutive game to surpass Joe Sakic for the all-time club record. MacKinnon’s streak, the longest active stretch in the NHL, began Oct. 14, 2017, at Dallas. MacKinnon has led the NHL in shots the past two seasons. … San Jose’s Patrick Marleau, 41, played in his 1,731st NHL game to tie Ron Francis for fourth all-time. Marleau is in his 23rd NHL season. Gordie Howe holds the record for all-time games played with 1,767. Mark Messier is second (1,756) followed by Jaromir Jagr (1,733). … The Avs and Sharks met for the 100th time in the regular season.