Avalanche Routed by Canadiens in 7-3 Loss as Midseason Struggles Continue
There’s no sugarcoating this one - the Colorado Avalanche were outplayed from the opening puck drop, and things never got better. A 7-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at Bell Centre marked Colorado’s second defeat in as many nights and their sixth in the last eight games. For a team that started the season on a tear, the recent slide is becoming harder to ignore.
The Avs, now 4-4-2 over their last 10, looked disjointed and out of sync for most of the night. Brock Nelson, Joel Kiviranta, and Ross Colton managed to find the net, but defensive breakdowns and shaky goaltending told the story. Scott Wedgewood, making his return after time away for the birth of his second child, had a rough night - allowing seven goals on 28 shots.
Montreal, meanwhile, came ready. Nick Suzuki led the charge with two goals and an assist, while Juraj Slafkovský, Kirby Dach, Alexandre Carrier, Jake Evans, and Noah Dobson all chipped in with goals. Ivan Demidov picked up two assists, and Jakub Dobeš stopped 26 shots in net for the Canadiens.
First Period: Avalanche Chase Early
Montreal wasted no time setting the tone. Just 56 seconds in, Lane Hutson found Noah Dobson in the left circle, and the defenseman hammered a one-timer past Wedgewood to open the scoring.
Colorado responded quickly, and it came from one of their most reliable weapons in recent weeks. Brock Nelson, who’s been on fire this month, pulled off a slick toe-drag around Hutson and snapped a clean wrist shot to the back of the net - his 28th of the season. That tied things up at 1-1 and gave the Avs some brief momentum.
But that momentum didn’t last long. After Keaton Middleton was called for cross-checking, Montreal’s power play went to work. Suzuki cleaned up a rebound off Wedgewood’s pad to restore the Canadiens’ lead.
Then came the backbreaker. Colorado went on the power play after Josh Anderson drew a tripping call, but instead of capitalizing, they gave up their ninth shorthanded goal of the season. A miscue by Kapanen sent the puck straight to Suzuki, who broke in alone and beat Wedgewood with a forehand-backhand finish to make it 3-1.
Second Period: Missed Chances and Montreal’s Surge
The second period offered a few chances for Colorado to claw back, but frustration mounted quickly. After Cole Caufield was whistled for a high stick that drew blood from Artturi Lehkonen, the Avs were expecting a double minor - but only got a standard two-minute call. They couldn’t cash in, and moments later, Nathan MacKinnon took a slash to the hands with no call coming.
Things got chippy soon after. Sam Malinski was penalized for a high stick on Demidov, and while he immediately apologized, Juraj Slafkovský didn’t take it lightly. Valeri Nichushkin stepped in and dropped Slafkovský with a forearm, but no further escalation followed.
Midway through the period, Sam Girard had a golden opportunity on a breakaway, but Dobeš came up with a big pad save to preserve Montreal’s lead.
Then came a scary moment. Josh Manson delivered a heavy hit on Kaiden Guhle along the boards as Guhle reached for the puck with his head down.
Guhle stayed down in pain, and while Zachary Bolduc confronted Manson, neither player dropped the gloves. The hit was reviewed but no penalty was assessed.
Montreal didn’t waste time capitalizing. Jake Evans made it 4-1 after Wedgewood mishandled the puck behind the net, allowing Evans to wrap it into the empty cage. Less than a minute later, Dach added another on a wraparound that just barely trickled across the line.
Colorado finally stopped the bleeding late in the period. Joel Kiviranta jammed home a rebound near the left post after a point shot from Malinski, cutting the deficit to 5-2 heading into the third.
Third Period: A Flicker of Hope, Then More Trouble
To their credit, the Avalanche came out with some jump in the third. They forced a couple early turnovers and nearly connected on a beautiful setup when Cale Makar fed MacKinnon at the back door - but the puck bounced awkwardly off MacKinnon’s stick.
They did break through a few minutes later. At 4:38, Nichushkin weaved through traffic and found Ross Colton behind the net.
Colton turned and fired, snapping a shot past Dobeš to end a 25-game goal drought. Suddenly it was 5-3, and the Avs had a pulse.
But it didn’t last.
Just over a minute later, a turnover in Colorado’s defensive zone led to a 2-on-1 break. Dach drew both Makar and Nečas toward him before sliding a perfect pass to Alexandre Carrier, who buried the finish to make it 6-3.
Slafkovský put the final nail in the coffin midway through the period. His initial shot missed wide, but Wedgewood, sliding out of position while trying to disrupt Kapanen, inadvertently pushed the puck right back to Slafkovský - who calmly deposited it into the open net.
Where Do the Avalanche Go From Here?
This wasn’t just a bad night - it was another entry in a troubling trend. The Avalanche, once the league’s top team, are now grappling with inconsistency, defensive lapses, and goaltending concerns. Wedgewood’s return didn’t go as hoped, and while the offense showed flashes, it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome the breakdowns in their own end.
The team’s early-season dominance feels like a distant memory, and with the playoff race tightening, Colorado needs answers - fast.
Next Up
The Avalanche (35-8-9) will try to regroup on Saturday morning when they visit the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Puck drops at 11:30 a.m. local time. With Patrick Kane and the Wings finding their stride, Colorado will need a much sharper effort to avoid extending this skid.