Shane Pinto turned his birthday into a game-winner Thursday night, finishing off a 4-3 Ottawa Senators victory over the Colorado Avalanche with a goal 2:08 into overtime.
Pinto scored twice on the night, and his second one was the decisive strike after he picked off a pass in Colorado’s end and snapped a wrist shot past Scott Wedgewood. The win pushed Ottawa to 12-6-2.
Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson also scored for the Senators, while Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in his return to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 21.
Colorado’s night got far worse than the final score. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both exited with lower-body injuries in the second period and did not return.
MacKinnon left with just over eight minutes left in the game after taking a check from Artem Zub in the hip area and was seen grabbing his right side. Makar was hurt moments earlier.
The Avalanche still managed to make things interesting after falling behind early. Arturi Lehkonen, Parker Kelly and Gabriel Landeskog scored for Colorado, which fell to 11-6-3.
Kelly, who had already left the game in the second period, brought the Avalanche level at 2-2 with a short-handed goal at 3:54 of the third. Then Colorado grabbed its first lead at 10:03 when Landeskog ripped a snap shot from the top of the slot on the power play.
Ottawa answered late. Batherson found a loose puck in the crease and buried his 10th goal of the season with 3:56 left in regulation to force overtime.
One of the night’s quieter milestones belonged to Zub, who played his 400th career game and became the seventh defenceman to reach that mark as a Senator.
Takeaways from the game were straightforward: Colorado battled through the early deficit and the injuries, but Ottawa had the last punch.
The Senators head to Pittsburgh on Saturday, while the Avalanche visit Montreal the same day.
In Other News...
Avalanche Head To Montreal With A Massive MacKinnon Makar Concern
The Avalanche left Ottawa with more than a loss to sort through, as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both exited with lower-body injuries and their availability for the next stop in Montreal is now up in the air. For a Colorado team that leans heavily on both stars in every situation, the timing could hardly be worse, and coach Jared Bednar offered no postgame update to ease the concern.
Montreal is waiting with a little momentum of its own after a 5-2 win over Boston, and rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler has continued to build on a strong start to his season. Even so, the Canadiens confidence will matter less to Colorado than the status of its two biggest names, because the matchup changes quickly if either MacKinnon or Makar cannot go. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Suddenly Face A Brutal Test With MacKinnon Sidelined
The Avalanche are suddenly staring at a stretch they would rather not have to navigate, with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both expected to be out for some time after injuries suffered against the Ottawa Senators. For a team built around elite pace and high-end skill, losing two of its most important players at once changes the look of everything, from the top line to the power play and the overall margin for error.
It puts extra pressure on the rest of the roster to hold the line while Colorado waits for its stars to get healthy again. The timing is especially awkward because the Avalanche have been leaning on their core to drive results, and now they have to find a way to stay afloat without two players who shape so much of what they do. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Showed One Encouraging Sign In A Frustrating Overtime Loss
The Avalanche left Canadian Tire Centre with a frustrating 4-3 overtime loss to the Senators, but there was at least one encouraging sign buried in the result. Colorado dug out of a 2-0 hole with goals from Artturi Lehkonen, Parker Kelly and Gabriel Landeskog, showing the kind of push-back that had been missing at times when games have started to slip away.
Jared Bednar had reason to point to the special teams and the overall effort as positives, even if the standings reward went to Ottawa after Shane Pinto ended it in overtime. For a team trying to stack better habits on top of better results, the comeback mattered almost as much as the point it cost them, because it showed the Avalanche can still find a way back into a game when it starts to tilt the wrong direction. [Read more 🡒]