Lehkonen, Blackwood lead Avalanche past Canadiens

MONTREAL – Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist to help the short-handed Colorado Avalanche beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 without injured stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar on Saturday night.

Fedor Svechkov and Brock Nelson also scored for Colorado (12-6-3) after MacKinnon and Makar both exited Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators with lower-body injuries.

Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 25 shots and Nicolas Roy added an empty-net goal.

Nick Suzuki replied with a highlight-reel goal for Montreal (12-4-4), which had gone 12 consecutive games without losing in regulation (9-0-3).

Jakub Dobes made 22 saves in his first start in nine days.

Svechkov opened the scoring on Colorado’s first shot at 3:57 of the first period. He held on to the puck on a two-on-one rush and beat Dobes for his third of the season.

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Nelson doubled the lead at 15:55 during a delayed Montreal penalty, rifling a one-timer from a tight angle for the Avalanche’s second goal on three shots.

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Suzuki cut the deficit with a spectacular goal at 10:25 in the second. The Canadiens captain received a pass from Juraj Slafkovsky in the slot, smoothly spun around Avalanche defenceman Devon Toews and flicked a backhand off the post and in for his eighth of the season.

Lehkonen, a former Canadien, restored the two-goal lead at 4:14 in the third period, burying his 15th of the season into a gaping net on the power play after Dobes made a pair of desperation saves.

Newhook appeared to score with 9:05 remaining in regulation when he deflected a shot from Kirby Dach past Blackwood. But after a lengthy review, the goal was called back for a high stick.

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TAKEAWAYS

Canadiens: Veteran forward Chris Kreider will miss six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury sustained in Thursday’s 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson (lower body) also missed the game, while bruising winger Florian Xhekaj and blueliner Adam Engstrom entered the lineup.

Avalanche: Head coach Jared Bednar said MacKinnon will be out at least a month, while Makar is expected to miss two weeks.

KEY MOMENT

Suzuki faked a slapshot before pulling off his deke around Toews, his Canadian teammate at last February’s Milan Cortina Olympics. The normally stoic centre raised his stick and pumped his fists after the goal, knowing he’d just scored a beauty.

KEY STAT

Colorado defenceman Brent Burns became the 14th player in NHL history — and only active player — to play in 1,600 games. The 41-year-old from Barrie, Ont., has suited up in 1,028 consecutive contests dating back to Nov. 21, 2013. Phil Kessel owns the NHL’s all-time “Ironman” record at 1,064 straight games, a number Burns could pass Feb. 15.

UP NEXT

Avalanche: Finish a four-game trip Wednesday against the Utah Mammoth.

Canadiens: Open a three-game road trip Monday against the New York Rangers.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2026.