Avs down Oilers for 2-0 lead in NHL Western Conference Final / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Avs down Oilers for 2-0 lead in NHL Western Conference Final
Colorado scored three quick second-period goals and goalie Pavel Francouz made 24 saves on Thursday as the Avalanche beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 to take a 2-0 lead in the NHL Western Conference Final.
Nazem Kadri assisted on all three of the Avs goals in a span of two minutes and four seconds of the second period, when Artturi Lehkonen and Josh Manson scored 15 seconds apart and Mikko Rantanen added another goal on a Kadri assist.
The best-of-seven series, with a Stanley Cup Final berth on the line, shifts to Edmonton on Saturday. The Oilers will be hoping to regroup, but the Avs are 5-0 on the road so far in this post-season.
Francouz, making his second start of the playoffs after Darcy Kuemper sustained an upper-body injury during Colorado's wild 8-6 victory in game one on Tuesday, came away with his second win.
Mike Smith made 36 saves for Edmonton, but was left reeling by Colorado's rapid-fire outburst in the second.
Lehkonen started the onslaught with a wrist shot from above the faceoff circle at 3:58. Fifteen seconds later Manson scored from near the right circle.
Rantanen scored on a 2-on-1 with Kadri at 6:02 to make it 3-0.
Nathan MacKinnon added a power-play goal late in the third period to complete the scoring.
A.M.James--TNT
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