CHICAGO — Behind goals from Matt Duchene, Zach Redmond and Gabe Landeskog — and nothing from Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks — the Avalanche created the NHL’s biggest news Tuesday.
Colorado beat Chicago 3-0 at the United Center and Kane, who entered with a 26-game point streak, was blanked on the scoresheet for the first time in nearly two months. The longest points streak in 23 seasons is over, primarily because of goalie Sem yon Varlamov and a dedicated defense in front of him.
“We were solid tonight,” Avs coach Patrick Roy said. “I liked our game tonight, and our goalie was really solid at key moments of the game. Great team effort.”
Varlamov, who produced a 54-save shutout here last January, again worked his magic against the modern-day dynasty. He improved to 11-3 all time against Chicago, the defending Stanley Cup champion, which has won it three times in the past six years.
Kane leads the NHL with 46 points.
“It’s got to be said that, it’s a pretty impressive thing to do, what he has done in the last 26 games,” Landeskog said of Kane, who was held without a shot in 23:11 of ice time. “In this day and age with the salary cap and how good all the teams are in this league, you have to tip your hat to the guy.
“As far as shutting him down, it was a complete team effort. Varly made the key saves when we needed them and our D-corp made it hard on all of their players.”
Landeskog iced the victory with an empty-net goal, giving the Nathan MacKinnon-centered “Nine Line” a six-point night. Landeskog, MacKinnon and Duchene each had two points.
Colorado finished 3-0 in its all-Central Division trip and improved to 7-2 in hockey’s toughest loop. The Avs also ended a stretch in which they played 18-of-25 on the road, finishing 10-8 outside Denver in that span.
“We’re doing great on the road,” Duchene said. “Now we have a lot of home games, and we have to be good at home and keep climbing. Onward and upward.”
The Avs, who ran out to 2-0 leads in all three games on the trip, scored in each of the first two periods against the Blackhawks. Duchene’s wrist shot from the left circle was the first goal Chicago had allowed at home in three games.
Redmond doubled the lead 1:43 into the second period, getting a cross-ice pass from winger Blake Comeau and ripping it behind Crawford.
It was the first goal of the season for Redmond, who had been a healthy scratch in the six previous games.
“To finish up a road trip like that was great, and to help out was a huge bonus,” Redmond said.
The Blackhawks’ best chance to get on the board in the first 40 minutes came late in the second period, but Varlamov made consecutive saves on big winger Bryan Bickell from atop the crease.
Chicago had its second and final power play at 5:34 of the third period when fourth-line winger Jack Skille inadvertently shot the puck over the glass in the defensive zone, but Skille’s teammates bailed him out with a strong kill.
