Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog (92) battles Brett Kulak of the Edmonton Oilers for the puck in the Avs 4-2 win in game three of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place on Saturday, June 4. (Photo: Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche keeps finding ways to win.
Saturday in Edmonton, the Avs rallied from an early one-goal deficit and defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 3-2, in game three of the Western Conference Final. The victory gives the Avalanche a commanding 3-0 series lead.
The Oilers struck first and struck quickly. Connor McDavid got the puck past Avs goalie Pavel Francouz 38 seconds into the game.
But the Avs quickly steadied themselves and tied the game 1-1 on a goal by Valeri Nichushkin at 16:12.
The first period was marred by Evander Kane's vicious hit on Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri. Kane drilled Kadri from behind and sent him headfirst into boards. Kadri left the game and Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Kadri will miss the rest of this series and possibly be out longer, assuming the Avs advance.
"It's the most dangerous play in hockey, puts him in headfirst from behind, eight feet off the boards. I'll leave it at that," Bednar said.
The hit also did not go over well with Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.
"I was on the bench but I don't like it. You're taught from a young age you don't do that, especially that distance from the boards. Dangerous play," Landeskog said.
With Kadri out, the Avalanche took a 2-1 on Nichushkin's second goal of the game. That one came 4:37 into the second period.
It stayed 2-1 until Ryan McLeod of the Oilers tied the game on a shot from the outside that got past Francouz nearly midway through the third period.
Colorado would get the eventual game-winner after killing a penalty. J.T. Compher, who was seeing more minutes in Kadri's place in the lineup, came out of the penalty box and scored on Oilers goalie Mike Smith with 7:18 remaining. Mikko Rantanen added an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left to secure the win.
Devon Toews had a pair of assists for the Avalanche.
The win moves the Avs postseason road record to 6-0. They will go for a sweep of the series and a spot in the Stanley Cup Final on Monday.
Game four will be in Edmonton on Monday, June 6 at 6 p.m. MDT.