Avalanche 1 - 0 Penguins
Final
  for this game

Giguere, Avs blank Pens

Oct 22, 2013 - 4:50 AM Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Something had to give in a matchup between a team unbeaten at home and another without a loss on the road.

The sublime play of Jean-Sebastien Giguere maintained Colorado's unblemished road mark.

The veteran goaltender made 34 saves as the Avalanche blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 at CONSOL Energy Center.

Giguere picked up his third win in as many starts this season and his second shutout, keeping Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby off the scoresheet for the first time. Crosby had totaled seven goals and 10 assists during his eight- game point streak to begin the season.

"You have to respect him, but at the same time as a goalie you have to be ready," said Giguere about facing Crosby. "They threw a lot of stuff at me tonight and I'm just happy to get the win."

Gabriel Landeskog scored the game's only goal for Colorado, which improved to 8-1-0, including 5-0-0 away from the Mile High City. The Avalanche won just four road games during the shortened 2013 campaign.

Giguere turned away 16 third-period shots, none better than his glove save to rob Chris Kunitz on a breakaway after a Colorado defenseman fell.

Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 13 shots and suffered his first loss in eight games this year. The Penguins (7-2-0), who went 0-for-7 on the power play, had their season-opening win streak at home end at five games.

"It was quiet for most of the night and the guys played great," said Fleury. "They didn't get much on us tonight, but that goal was unfortunate."

The Avalanche were forced to defend throughout much of the first period due to four penalties, including three in the opening 9:57. Giguere kept the game scoreless with 11 saves, while the hardly tested Fleury stopped four shots.

Colorado got its first power play opportunity early in the second period, but Landeskog went off for hooking late in the man advantage.

After a fifth successful kill by Giguere and the Avalanche unit, Landeskog made it goals in three straight games, beating Fleury eight seconds after exiting the penalty box. The Colorado captain skated down the right wing and snapped a shot from the faceoff circle past Fleury's glove at the 5:26 mark.

Game Notes

The game featured four No. 1 overall draft picks: Fleury (2003), Crosby (2005), Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson (2006) and Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (2013) ... The Avalanche registered 22 blocked shots ... Pittsburgh had won four straight games against Colorado ... The Avalanche posted their first win in Pittsburgh since Jan. 24, 2004, snapping a three-game skid ... Colorado forward Cody McLeod was suspended for five games for boarding Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall last week. McLeod served the first game of the ban on Saturday while awaiting an in-person hearing.






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