Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves and the visiting Colorado Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Tuesday.
The Avalanche evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1. Game 3 is in Denver on Friday.
Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who rallied from a 2-1 deficit with three goals in the final 5:44 of the second period. Georgiev bounced back after allowing seven goals on 23 shots in a Game 1 loss.
“Definitely a different game,” Georgiev said. “We just played smart, boxed them out, let me see the puck. Guys played awesome, and (scored) big goals at the right time, too.”
David Gustafsson and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets, and Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves.
“It was a tough-fought game,” Scheifele said. “They had probably a little too much zone time. Kind of gave them a little too much space at times in that game, but also good shifts in there, too.
“Got two days of rest here so just ramp it up. It’s the playoffs. You’re not going to win every game. Just got to be prepared for all the punches that are thrown.”
Gustafsson gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 3:15 of the first period. His tip-in attempt off Brenden Dillon’s shot was blocked by Georgiev; but, during the ensuing scramble, Gustafsson knocked in the loose puck.
Miles Wood tied it at 1-1 at 1:59 of the second period, scoring on a one-timer from the left circle off a faceoff win by Ross Colton.
Shortly after Wood tied it, the Jets killed off a four-minute Avalanche power play to keep the score even.
Scheifele gave the Jets a 2-1 lead at 8:37. Gabriel Vilardi entered the zone on a two-on-one and passed across the ice to Scheifele, who extended his stick with one hand and redirected the puck past Georgiev.
Later in the period, Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor hit the post and, moments later, Lehkonen tied it at 14:16, tipping in Cale Makar’s wrist shot from the point.
Zach Parise gave the Avalanche a 3-2 lead at 17:20. After Hellebuyck misplayed the puck behind the net, Andrew Cogliano fed Parise, who knocked in his own rebound.
Josh Manson made it 4-2 when he left the penalty box, received a stretch pass from Nathan MacKinnon and scored five-hole on a breakaway with seven seconds remaining in the period.
Georgiev made a point-blank save on Nikolaj Ehlers with 5:24 remaining in the third period, and Valeri Nichushkin scored into an empty net with 57 seconds left for the 5-2 final.
“That save he made on Ehlers there at the end, that’s the save we needed. Kept us in the game. He played great all game,” Manson said of Georgiev. “The mental toughness, it’s a tough place to come in, especially after Game 1. I mean everybody was all over him. Kudos to him. He was awesome. We’re happy for him.”
–Field Level Media
