RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Avalanche, 4-1

The Blackhawks fell to the Colorado Avalanche for the third time this season on Wednesday night at the United Center, 4-1.

CHI 1, COL 4
WRITTEN
Full Box Score
THREE THINGS: Emotion, Sticking Together and Keith Returns
VIDEO
HIGHLIGHTS: CHI 1, COL 4
RAW: Colliton on Loss to COL
RAW: Keith on Loss to COL
RAW: Gustafsson on Loss to COL
GALLERY
GALLERY: Blackhawks vs. Avalanche
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ryan Carpenter with the lone goal and three shots on net.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: In his first game back following a nine-game absence with a groin injury, Duncan Keith logged 23:16 of ice time - the second-highest on the night for any Chicago player - as well as a team-best six shots.
UP NEXT: The Blackhawks head to Winnipeg to face the Jets on Thursday night north of the border.

GAME RECAP

The visitors took a 1-0 lead at 8:41 of the opening frame as Ian Cole ripped a slap shot from the point that went top corner for the early advantage.
Chicago answered right back just over a minute later, forcing a turnover deep in Colorado's end. A strong forecheck from Carpenter and Kirby Dach caused Avalanche defenseman Mark Barberio to cough the puck up along the boards, where Alex DeBrincat took over and send a backhand pass to Carpenter near the dot. The center fired a quick wrister that beat Pavel Francouz up high to knot the game 1-1 at 9:48.

Colorado took a 2-1 lead at 7:49 of the middle frame as Nathan MacKinnon split a pair of defenders off the rush and beat Corey Crawford top corner on the blcoker side with a shot mid-stride.
Andre Burakovsky made it a two-goal lead shortly thereafter, picking up a deflected puck in the neutral zone and skating in, taking a wrist shot from the dot through an Olli Maatta screen and past Crawford at 10:08 of the second.
After a back-and-forth third period, the Avs added an empty-netter at 17:04 to put the game away, 4-1.