Nichushkin’s second-period goal proves decisive as NHL-best Colorado survives Philadelphia push on Couturier’s birthday
PHILADELPHIA — Mackenzie Blackwood delivered a heroic performance with 24 saves in his second consecutive start, highlighted by a critical penalty shot save, as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Colorado improved to 21-2-6 with an NHL-best 48 points, sweeping a challenging back-to-back set after defeating the Rangers in overtime Saturday. Valeri Nichushkin netted the decisive goal early in the second period, while Nathan MacKinnon’s assist boosted his league-leading point total to 49 in front of 18,606 fans.
Sean Couturier, celebrating his 33rd birthday and 900th NHL game, opened the scoring for Philadelphia (15-9-3), but the Flyers couldn’t find a tying goal despite dominating stretches of the third period.
The Turning Point
Trevor Zegras had the perfect chance to tie it.
Awarded a penalty shot at 4:54 of the third period after Nathan MacKinnon hooked him on a breakaway, Zegras faced Blackwood with a 68% shootout success rate (17-for-25 career). The Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd rose in anticipation.
But Blackwood, operating on minimal rest after Saturday’s 24-save effort in New York, anticipated Zegras’ move and turned aside the attempt with his pad to maintain Colorado’s one-goal cushion.
Blackwood said he recognized after Saturday’s game he’d probably get the call again, so maximizing rest and caffeine intake became his focus for the rapid turnaround.
His 12th career back-to-back start proved crucial, as Philadelphia couldn’t solve him despite a late push with the extra attacker.
How It Happened
Couturier sparked Philadelphia’s offense just 2:09 into the contest, redirecting a Noah Juulsen slapper for the game’s opening goal on his milestone night. The quick score energized the Flyers, who were in the middle of their six-game homestand.
But Colorado, despite playing their third game in four days, answered quickly with three consecutive tallies. Brent Burns evened the score at 8:28, firing from the right circle after receiving a feed from Martin Necas.
Brock Nelson put Colorado ahead late in the opening period, jamming home a power-play goal with 52 seconds remaining after a chaotic net-front sequence. Nelson’s 10th tally of the campaign—his fourth in five outings—snapped the Avalanche’s recent power-play struggles after going 0-for-6 over their previous three contests.
Nichushkin pushed the advantage to 3-1 at 1:47 of the middle frame, converting a Devon Toews feed with a precise shot that caught Ersson high blocker side from the right dot. The Avalanche were controlling play at that juncture.
Travis Konecny narrowed the gap to 3-2 at 5:58 of the second, capitalizing on a breakaway opportunity by beating Blackwood five-hole after a swift transition. Konecny’s nine-shot performance and ongoing four-game point surge (six points) kept the Flyers threatening into the final period.
Blackwood’s Back-to-Back Brilliance
The 30-year-old netminder delivered when his team needed it most, making his second consecutive start with Scott Wedgewood sidelined since December 2 with a back injury.
Beyond stopping Zegras, Blackwood stood tall as Philadelphia mounted significant third-period pressure, outshooting the Avalanche 13-3 in the closing frame. His 24-save performance helped Colorado improve to 4-0-2 when playing consecutive nights.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar expressed confidence in Blackwood handling consecutive starts, citing the team’s defensive structure and desire to limit his workload before their next day off.
On the penalty shot challenge, Blackwood emphasized patience as his strategy against Zegras’ elite skill set, choosing to let the shooter commit before making his move.
Bottom Line
For Colorado: Surviving a back-to-back road trip with two wins against quality opponents shows championship mettle. At 21-2-6, they’re lapping the field with a 10-2-4 road record. The Avalanche bounced back after their 17-game point streak (14-0-3) ended Thursday in a 6-3 loss at the Islanders. MacKinnon’s 25 assists in 29 games marks the eighth time he’s reached that milestone in fewer than 30 games, surpassing Joe Sakic for the most in franchise history.
For Philadelphia: The effort was there against the league’s best team, but execution at critical moments wasn’t. Despite playing well enough to win—outshooting Colorado 13-3 in the third period—Zegras’ missed penalty shot and inability to finish with the extra attacker dropped them to 15-9-3, now 1-2-0 on their six-game homestand. Konecny is one point away from 500 career NHL points, riding a four-game point streak.
What’s Next
Colorado travels to Nashville on Tuesday (8:00 p.m. ET) to complete their four-game road trip before returning home.
Philadelphia hosts Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday (7:00 p.m. ET), continuing their six-game homestand.
By The Numbers
FINAL: Colorado 3, Philadelphia 2
LOCATION: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa. | ATTENDANCE: 18,606
SCORING
First Period: PHI – Couturier (5) 2:09; COL – Burns (4) 8:28; COL – Nelson (10) PP 19:08
Second Period: COL – Nichushkin (7) (Devon Toews) 1:47; PHI – Konecny (7) 5:58
Third Period: No Scoring
SHOTS ON GOAL: COL 28, PHI 25
GOALIES: Blackwood (W, 24 saves), Ersson (L, 25 saves)
POWER PLAY: COL 1/2 (50%), PHI 0/1 (0%)
PENALTY MINUTES: COL 2, PHI 4
FACEOFFS: COL 25/48 (52.1%), PHI 23/48 (47.9%)
THREE STARS: 1. Valeri Nichushkin (COL), 2. Emil Andrae (PHI), 3. Travis Konecny (PHI)
KEY MILESTONES:
- Couturier’s 900th NHL game (4th in Flyers history: Clarke 1,144; Giroux 1,000; Barber 903)
- MacKinnon’s 25th assist in 29 games (franchise record pace, 8th time in fewer than 30 games)
- Burns’ 265th career goal (passing Lidstrom for 9th all-time among NHL defensemen)
- Burns played his 1,526th game (tied Ryan Suter for 19th all-time, 7th among defensemen)
- Konecny one point away from 500 career NHL points (six points in four-game point streak)
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Mackenzie Blackwood stopped Trevor Zegras' penalty shot and made 24 saves as Colorado Avalanche beat Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in back-to-back win at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Nichushkin scored game-winner.
