DENVER — Cale Makar was due.
Back in the Avalanche lineup after missing two games with a lower-body injury, he spurred Colorado’s offense to action after a dismal start to the second period. By the third, missed chances were piling up against the defiant Coyotes, always more a headache than they’re supposed to be.
Makar kept creating and got rewarded with the game-winning goal in a 3-1 Avalanche bounce-back Friday night at Ball Arena. With Mikko Rantanen screening Phoenix goalie Karel Vejmelka, Makar snapped it from between the circles, giving Colorado the lead with 13:19 remaining.
The Avs (42-23-6) are back within two points of the Central division lead, with one game in hand on both Dallas and Minnesota.
They fought off the Coyotes with two power-play goals, including J.T. Compher’s insurance rebound with 8:43 left, and three-point nights for Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Makar has 18 points in his last eight games, and MacKinnon is harboring an 11-game point streak.
After MacKinnon and Clayton Keller traded first-period goals, the Avalanche didn’t manage a shot on goal for the first seven minutes of the second period. Then Makar buzzed the crossbar with a shot from the point, and that seemed to ignite himself and everyone around him.
Makar made a fantastic play with the puck moments later, weaving through Coyotes behind the net, but Vejmelka made an even more remarkable sliding save on the wraparound attempt.
The last chunk of the period was unrecognizable from the sluggish start. On an Avalanche penalty kill, Valeri Nichushkin picked an opponent’s pocket and made a breakaway for himself. He beat Vejmelka, but the puck tapped off the inside of the post. Andrew Cogliano was denied on a short-handed rush 15 seconds later.
The chances added up before intermission, but Colorado was stumped by stubborn defense and bad puck luck. It was still tied at intermission.
Makar was still buzzing in the third, fresh off a self-made scoring chance, when he finally broke through. Once the Avs drew another penalty, they were in the clear. They’ve scored at least one power-play goal in 10 consecutive games, converting on 41.9% of opportunities during that span.
Erik Johnson was also back in the Avalanche lineup ahead of schedule from a broken ankle, pairing with Jack Johnson for the first time on Colorado’s third defensive pairing.
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