The Colorado Avalanche will earn a playoff berth tonight at United Center.
If NHL 26 has their way, the Avalanche will get the victory in a 2-1 effort.
Nic Roy and Brett Kulak scored for the Avs and Mackenzie Blackwood made 17 saves in the winning effort.
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Andrew Mangiapane lit the lamp in the third period for the Blackhawks and Spencer Knight stopped 35 of 37 shots.
Just over four minutes into the game, Knight fumbled a routine cover up and had to make a diving stop, but that prevented the Avalanche from scoring the opening goal of the game.
At nearly the six-minute mark of the frame, Nazem Kadri ripped a slap shot from the slot, but Knight made the blocker save.
Halfway through the period, the Avs had outshot the Blackhawks 6-1. The second shot for Chicago came off a one-timer blast from Hawks defenseman Alex Vlasic, but Blackwood was quick with the glove.
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At the end of the first, the game was scoreless, while the Avalanche held a 12-6 advantage in shots on net.
Colorado took a 1-0 lead 5:08 into the second period when Roy one-timed a feed from Josh Manson from the slot that clanged off the left post and into the net. Manson initiated the breakout, but rather than pass, he carried the puck through the neutral zone and deep into the Blackhawks defensive zone before finding Roy waiting for his opportunity, and he made the most of it
On the next play, following a poor clear from the Blackhawks, Kulak intercepted the puck in front of the net and fired it by Knight, who had no chance of catching up to it. And just like that, we quickly went from a tie game to a 2-0 score in favor of the Avs.
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Despite the fact they were getting outgunned, the Hawks continued to fight. Connor Bedard teed up a nasty slap shot from the left circle with nearly five minutes to go in the period, but that was snagged by Blackwood with the fancy glove.
At the end of two periods, the Avalanche held a 2-0 lead and a 24-12 edge in shots on net.
Chicago got on the board 7:10 into the third period to spoil Blackwood’s shutout when Mangiapane took a pass from Ryan Donato in the slot and ripped a backhand by a diving Blackwood to make it a 2-1 game.
Gavin Brindley attempted to one-hand deke his way by Knight just over halfway into the period, but Knight was able to poke check the puck away and cover it up for the whistle.
Knight was pulled for the extra attacker with 38 seconds left in the game. Colorado was unable to score on the empty net and the Hawks were unable to tie the game as the Avs took home the 2-1 win.
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