The Avalanche found themselves in a must-win situation in Game 2 against the Jets, and they responded with a solid performance, tying the series with a 5-2 victory. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stood tall between the pipes, making key saves throughout the game, especially in the third period when the Jets threatened to mount a comeback. Georgiev stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced, including a close-range wrister from Nikolaj Ehlers with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
Josh Manson, who made two costly mistakes in Game 1, bounced back with a strong outing in Game 2. He recorded two hits, a takeaway, and a big block in the first period alone. Then, in the second period, after serving a penalty for roughing, he returned to the ice and was spotted by Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon hit Manson with a long pass, and he skated in on a breakaway against Connor Hellebuyck, beating the Jets’ goalie five-hole to give the Avs a 4-2 lead.
Colorado’s bottom two lines also contributed to the victory. Miles Wood opened the scoring for the Avalanche in the first period, sneaking a shot past Hellebuyck off a face-off feed from Ross Colton. In the second period, the fourth line got in on the fun. Yakov Trenin’s forecheck on Hellebuyck rattled the Jets’ goalie, causing him to lose the puck. Zach Parise was there to bury the rebound, giving the Avs a 3-2 cushion.
The Avalanche now head back to Denver with the series tied 1-1. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday night at Ball Arena. The Avs will look to take a 2-1 lead in the series, while the Jets will be looking to regain home-ice advantage.
