Avalanche beat Sharks 2-1 in shootout to spoil 51-save performance by Mackenzie Blackwood

By ERIC HE
Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Cale Makar scored a late tying goal, and the Colorado Avalanche beat San Jose 2-1 in a shootout on the road on Saturday night to spoil a 51-save performance by Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.

The Avalanche scored with just over a minute left in regulation on their 49th shot on net, when Makar wristed one past Blackwood with an empty net to tie it at 1. After a scoreless overtime in which Colorado killed off a San Jose power play, Mikko Rantanen scored the lone goal in the shootout and Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped Mike Hoffman to secure the win for the Avalanche.

Blackwood’s 51 saves was the most in NHL history by a goaltender in a team debut. On the other end, Georgiev made 20 saves for his 100th-career win.

“I thought the goalies stole the show,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “Both guys played extremely well.”

Colorado has won seven straight games against the Sharks, and is 15-2-0 in their last 17 games against San Jose dating to the 2019-20 season. Colorado has also won 13 straight regular season road games dating to last season.

Prior to Makar’s goal, Colorado had been stymied by the Sharks’ netminder despite outplaying San Jose.

Georgiev tried to stay sharp despite not seeing many shots. He played the puck when he could, received encouragement from teammates and made big saves when it mattered. The goaltender stopped all three Sharks in the shootout to counter Blackwood.

“For me, it’s not getting caught up into what the other goalie’s doing and doing my own thing,” Georgiev said.

The Avalanche outshot the Sharks 52-21, but until the third period could not find a way past Blackwood, who made his debut for the Sharks after being traded from New Jersey in the offseason. Blackwood was 10-6 with a 3.20 goals against average last season.

He robbed Valeri Nichushkin from point-blank range with a left pad save midway through the second period. He also made a highlight-reel right pad save on Makar in the third.

Sharks head coach David Quinn called Blackwood’s performance “elite.”

“Sometimes pucks go your way,” Blackwood said. “I’ve been working hard with the goalie coach here and getting a lot of good work in, and I feel good about where my game is at.”

The Sharks were outshot 16-9 in the first period, but took a 1-0 lead on Thomas Bordeleau’s first career goal. Bordeleau, who was a second-round draft pick of the Sharks in 2020, tipped in a shot from the point by Matt Benning, redirecting it past Georgiev, who had 20 saves.

San Jose also killed off two Colorado power plays in the first, as well as a 5-on-3 advantage in the second. Logan O’Connor also hit the crossbar on a short-handed rush for the Avalanche late in the second period.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

AVALANCHE: Forward Andrew Cogliano, who fractured his neck during the playoffs last season, returned to the lineup after sitting out the season opener against the Kings.

SHARKS: Forward Mikael Granlund, acquired by the Sharks in the Erik Karlsson trade, was placed on the injured reserve on Friday after re-aggravating a lower-body injury in the home opener against the Golden Knights and is considered week-to-week. Jacob Peterson was called up to take his place. Granlund’s injury leaves the Sharks without two of their top three centers, with captain Logan Couture still hurt. … Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic also left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT

Avalanche: Visit Seattle on Tuesday night.

Sharks: Host Carolina on Tuesday night.

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