Final
Avalanche (14-2) secure best start in franchise history
Nov 11, 2013 - 5:10 AM Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Gabriel Landeskog registered a goal and an assist to help the Colorado Avalanche secure their best start in franchise history with a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday at Pepsi Center.Nick Holden notched his first career goal, while PA Parenteau and Patrick Bordeleau also lit the lamp for the Avalanche, who have won 14 of their first 16 games for the first time in franchise history.
Semyon Varlamov, who spent his first three seasons with Washington, turned aside 33 shots in the triumph.
Joel Ward netted the lone Washington goal and Braden Holtby allowed all four goals on 37 shots for the Capitals, who have lost two straight games.
Bordeleau got the Avs on the board just under three minutes in when he tipped in Cody McLeod's backhander from the slot off a Washington turnover to make it 1-0.
Washington evened the score with 4:12 left in the second when Ward found the back of the net from in front following a strange carom off the end boards, but Colorado countered 28 seconds later when a pinching Holden buried a one- timer from the left circle off a backhand feed from Landeskog.
"(Landeskog) made a great read coming around the net," Holden said. "I got the puck, closed my eyes, and got lucky. It's huge that we got the goal right back after they scored."
The Avs added to the lead just over eight minutes into the third when Matt Duchene worked free behind the Washington net and slid a pass to the low right circle for Parenteau, who pounded a one-timer into the back of the net for a 3-1 lead at 8:12.
Washington appeared to pull within a goal with 2:24 remaining when the puck deflected off the skate of a cutting Alex Ovechkin and slid across the goal line, but Ovechkin displayed a distinct kicking motion on the play and the goal was immediately waived off.
Landeskog put the game away less than a minute later when he charged down the right wing and rifled a shot from the circle that sailed past the short-side of Holtby to make it 4-1 with 1:40 to play.
"We let it get away from us in the end," Capitals head coach Adam Oates said.
Game Notes
Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson recorded two assists ... Washington went 0- for-4 on the power play, while Colorado finished 0-for-3 ... Washington dropped to 3-5-1 on the road this season ... The 1994-95 Quebec Nordiques held the previous franchise record for the best start to a season at 13-2 ... Varlamov improved to 2-0 against his former team.
- WASHINGTON: 1
COLORADO: 4
Final
Nov 10 10:38 PM - Colorado Goal - Gabriel Landeskog, from Erik Johnson at 18:20.
Capitals 1, Avalanche 4 3rd - 1:40Nov 10 10:34 PM - Colorado Goal - P.A. Parenteau (6), from Matt Duchene and Erik Johnson at 8:12.
Capitals 1, Avalanche 3 3rd - 11:48Nov 10 10:12 PM - WASHINGTON: 1
COLORADO: 2
End of 2nd
Nov 10 9:38 PM - Colorado Goal - Nick Holden, from Gabriel Landeskog at 16:16.
Capitals 1, Avalanche 2 2nd - 3:44Nov 10 9:30 PM - Washington Goal - Joel Ward (8), from Mikhail Grabovski at 15:48.
Capitals 1, Avalanche 1 2nd - 4:12Nov 10 9:29 PM - WASHINGTON: 0
COLORADO: 1
End of 1st
Nov 10 8:51 PM - WASHINGTON: 0
COLORADO: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Nov 10 8:10 PM
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