Die Nacktbar » DENVER (AP) — Nikita Kucherov took a puck in the face

DENVER (AP) — Nikita Kucherov took a puck in the face to keep it from leaving the zone. Steven Stamkos faked a shot to give it right back to an open Kucherov.Two heads-up plays for the one and only goal.Kucherov scored on a power play with 13:36 remaining Bobby Ryan Jersey , Andrei Vasilevskiy outperformed Semyon Varlamov in a goaltender showdown and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Wednesday night.“That was a good one,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “It was just fun to be a part of and have the seat that I do have to watch it.”This game featured two high-scoring, speedy teams. It had plenty of big-time saves by two shifty goaltenders.It certainly didn’t lack entertainment.“Usually it’s pretty boring when no one scores,” Stamkos said. “But both goaltenders played well. Both teams have some pretty dynamic offensive players that can create something.”On the winning goal, Kucherov saved the puck from leaving the offensive end as it bounced off his noggin. He then passed it over to Stamkos, who instantly drew a crowd. Instead of forcing a shot, Stamkos deked a defenseman and then delivered it cross-ice to Kucherov, who lined it in for his 150th career goal.“Anytime I can get it to him in that area, I’m going to give it to him every time,” Stamkos said. “He does what he does best.”Vasilevskiy was masterful in neutralizing the high-flying Avalanche, who returned home after a 3-0-1 trip. The Lightning goaltender turned back 23 shots for his 13th NHL shutout.“He was seeing everything and seeing his rebounds http://www.officialsenators.com/authentic-adidas-chris-wideman-jersey ,” Cooper said. “He was great.”The only time the Avalanche were able to get one by him, the goal didn’t count. Gabriel Landeskog snapped in a pass from Nathan MacKinnon during a 2-on-1 break in the first period, but as they celebrated Tampa Bay challenged the play. The officials disallowed the goal after ruling Tyson Jost was offside. Jost was away from the play.“That’s not where the game was won or lost,” Landeskog said. “It would’ve been nice with a first-period goal, but we moved on and kept playing. We had other chances to score.”Vasilevskiy and Varlamov matched each other save for stellar save most of the contest. Varlamov blinked first when he allowed Kucherov’s goal with defenseman Tyson Barrie serving a hooking penalty.The Avalanche pulled Varlamov with about 1:30 remaining, but couldn’t score the equalizer. Varlamov finished with 23 saves.“I like a lot of the things that we did,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “That’s one of the best teams in the league, no doubt. I think our guys should keep their chins up.”MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each had nine-game point streaks halted. Their streaks matched the longest to start a season since the team relocated to town in 1995-96.The Lightning were coming off a 6-3 win over Chicago in which they set a new franchise record with 55 shots. Against Colorado, the Lightning had 24 shots.Kucherov had a wide open net in the closing seconds of the second period with Varlamov out of position. The Lightning right winger sent a liner toward a vacant part of the net, but the puck hit off a stick and caromed wide.He got some redemption.“Felt good,” Kucherov said.At the morning skate Craig Anderson Jersey , Landeskog deflected the credit for receiving the league’s first star of the week. He had six goals during the stretch, including a hat trick.“If the team wasn’t winning, I wouldn’t get that recognition,” Landeskog said. “It’s fun. But at the same time it’s a young season, a lot of hockey left. Just enjoy it while we can.”NOTES: Lightning D Slater Koekkoek was a scratch. Cooper hopes to get him in a game during the trip. … Avalanche F J.T. Compher (concussion-like symptoms) was scheduled to see the doctor again Wednesday night. “I think he’s feeling better. But he has his good days and bad days,” Bednar said. … F Conor Timmins (concussion-like symptoms) is “feeling a little bit better,” Bednar said.UP NEXTLightning: Continue their five-game road swing with stop No. 4 in Vegas on Friday night.Avalanche: Welcome former Avalanche Matt Duchene and the Ottawa Senators to town on Friday. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Greg McKegg made his Carolina debut one to remember.McKegg had a goal and an assist in his first game with the Hurricanes, and Carolina defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 Friday night.McKegg was recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis earlier Friday after Carolina placed Jordan Staal on injured reserve. Playing in his first NHL game since November 2017, the journeyman center assisted on a goal in the first period and scored the decisive goal in the second to lift the Hurricanes to their third straight win.“He’s a pro,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We did a nice job getting him in our organization. He had a great training camp and he was right there. This was an easy call-up. He’s obviously trying to stay here. I love it.”It was the first multi-point game of McKegg’s six-year career. It came after he got word of his call-up late Thursday Authentic Erik Karlsson Jersey Kids , made a two-hour drive from Belleville, Ontario, to Toronto, caught an early flight and arrived in Raleigh late Friday morning.“Obviously it’s special,” McKegg said. “You never know when (a call-up) is going to come and you just have to keep grinding away. To contribute at this level at any point in your career is special. “Micheal Ferland, Dougie Hamilton and Sebastian Aho added goals for Carolina. Curtis McElhinney stopped 22 shots in his second straight win after four consecutive losses.Oliver Bjorkstrand and Artemi Panarin scored 25 seconds apart in the second period for the Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky surrendered three goals on 16 shots before being pulled midway through second period.“I always think a hockey team should get better each and every game,” Columbus coach John Tortorella said. “And tonight there were just way too many passengers.”McKegg, playing for his fifth team in six seasons, helped propel Carolina to an early 3-0 lead.Ferland’s one-timer from the left faceoff circle put Carolina up 5:16 into the first period. Less than 90 seconds later, Hamilton made it 2-0 when his wrist shot from the left point deflected off Bobrovsky’s glove and trickled into the net.After setting up Hamilton’s goal with a drop pass, McKegg found the net in the second period.Brett Pesce fired a pass for McKegg breaking down the middle toward the goal Jean-Gabriel Pageau Jersey , and McKegg redirected the puck into the net — again off Bobrovsky’s glove — to make it 3-0.“You just kind of want to put your best foot forward and contribute any way you can,” McKegg said. “To chip in at this level is obviously special. To cap it off with a win was pretty awesome.”Joonas Korpisalo replaced Bobrovsky shortly after.“I’m not giving assessment on the goaltending,” Tortorella said. “Korpi played well. He was one of the few guys who played well.”Bjorkstrand and Panarin’s quick goals late in the period pulled the Blue Jackets within one heading into the third, but McElhinney stopped all seven shots he faced in the final period and Aho scored an empty-netter with two seconds remaining to secure the Carolina victory.“We came out great. I thought the guys to a man were on it,” Brind’Amour said. “Every part of our game was pretty solid.”NOTES: Columbus captain Nick Foligno missed his second straight game to tend to his newborn daughter, Milana, who had heart surgery last week. He remains on indefinite leave. … Carolina F Saku Maenalanen recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Hamilton’s goal. … McElhinney appeared in 85 games for Columbus from 2013-17.UP NEXTBlue Jackets: At Florida on Saturday.Hurricanes: At Ottawa on Sunday.