Lehkonen, Rantanen score 2 apiece in Avalanche win against Flames

CALGARY -- Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen each scored two goals, and the Colorado Avalanche won 4-1 against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

Nathan MacKinnon had two assists for the fourth consecutive game, and Devon Toews and J.T. Compher also had two assists apiece for the Avalanche (23-17-3), who have won three straight. Alexandar Georgiev made 34 saves.
"We're playing so confident and it's definitely a different game defensively," said Georgiev, who made his first start since Jan. 10. "We play sharp. Great. We've got to keep it going like that."
Defenseman Cale Makar did not play because of an undisclosed injury. Colorado played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
"It's big. It's obviously impossible to replace Cale, the best [defenseman] in the world," said Rantanen, who also had an assist. "I think we came together as a team. Just got to defend, that's what we have to focus on. The goals are going to come."

Tyler Toffoli scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves for the Flames (21-16-9), who have lost two in a row and are 2-2-2 in their past six games.
"We've played 46 games now and we're still looking for a really good game," Calgary center Elias Lindholm said. "It's concerning."
Rantanen gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 6:17 of the first period with his 30th goal of the season, a one-timer from the top of the right face-off circle.
"That's what we have to do more," Rantanen said. "Just be ready to play right away from the start of the puck [drop] so if the opposing team is not on their toes we can take advantage and that's what we did."

Lehkonen finished a cross-crease pass from MacKinnon on a 2-on-1 at 11:01 to make it 2-0. He scored 1:57 later to extend it to 3-0 with a power-play goal after a point shot by MacKinnon went off Rantanen and the end boards to him at the left post at 12:58.
"Obviously, we didn't come out ready to go and they did," Toffoli said. "They were faster in all areas of the ice -- skating, passing, and everything. We were trying to find our way back into the game, but they're the defending [Stanley Cup] champions for a reason."
Toffoli shot through a screen by Lindholm from the top of the left circle on a power play to cut it to 3-1 at 2:27 of the third period.
Colorado was outshot 13-4 in the third.
Georgiev made a save on Blake Coleman at the edge of the crease at 8:52 before stopping him again on a partial breakaway after he split the Avalanche defense at 9:24. Georgiev also made a glove save on a backhand by Trevor Lewis in the slot at 11:47.
"Really good," Rantanen said. "They were pushing hard. We gave up some chances, but [Georgiev] was calm and cool in the net. Really, really good performance by him."
Rantanen was awarded a goal at 19:02 after he was slashed on a breakaway by Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov with Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker for the 4-1 final.
"Honestly, when you come out like that in the first against the champs, it's not gonna work very well," Lindholm said. "You can't expect to win when you play like that. So, obviously, that first period set the whole game up."

Rantanen has 31 goals in 43 games, the fewest needed to reach 30 goals in franchise history since it moved to Colorado from Quebec. Joe Sakic previously held the record set in 1995-96.
"[Sakic] still has two [Stanley] Cups, I guess that's the difference," said Rantanen, who won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche last season. "[It's an] honor, obviously, but linemates, that's what I always say, we cannot do it alone, linemates are helping me a lot."
NOTES: Lehkonen has scored in three straight games and has six points (five goals, one assist) during a three-game point streak. ......Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson played his 900th NHL game. … MacKinnon extend his point streak to six games (four goals, nine assists). ... Colorado defenseman Jacob MacDonald had two shots on goal in 10:38 of ice time after being a healthy scratch for two games.