Even with tonight's return of Rodrigues to the lineup - a positive sign along with the returns of Nichushkin and Lehkonen respectively over the past week - the Avalanche still are burdened with injuries and were unable to contain Buffalo's top-ranked offense that averages 3.93 goals-per-game.
The Avalanche didn't do themselves any favors as they relinquished a goal 54 seconds into the game and would go on to fall into a 2-0 hole to the Sabres following the first period of play.
Thompson, who ranks second in the NHL in goals with 24, scored the game's icebreaker as he took a pass from his linemate Casey Mittelstadt, drove to the net and deked past Georgiev in-tight before dragging the puck with his long 6-foot-6 reach past Georgiev's sprawled out pads.
The Avalanche were unsuccessful on their first power-play opportunity of they game that they received at 1:04 as Casey Fitzgerald was called for high sticking. Colorado then went on its first penalty kill of the game for too many men on the ice at 6:09. On Buffalo's power play, Rasmus Dahlin sent a high-to-low pass from distance to the net front where Tuch spun off Toews and tucked the puck past Georgiev to double Buffalo's lead at 7:08.
Late in the second period, Buffalo extended its lead 3-0 as they capitalized on a defensive turnover. An attempted clear by Cale Makar was intercepted and passed into the slot for Dahlin, who wrung a wrist shot off the top corner of the goal post at 17:11.
Despite being down 3-0, Colorado pushed the pace and amplified the pressure in the third period as they sizeably outshot Buffalo 17-1 and netted two goals.
