All the Avalanche needed, it seemed, was to get blown out of the water. A 6-0 loss last week to the Islanders in New York kicked Colorado’s rears in gear.
The Avs won their next two games in impressive fashion, on the road against the Rangers and Devils. And their return home for eight of the next 11 in Denver set up the Avs for a run back on track.
Problem was, Alex Ovechkin came to town.
BOX SCORE: Washington 3, Colorado 2
The Capitals captain wrecked the Avalanche with an amazing individual effort late in the third period Thursday night at the Pepsi Center, muscling through the Colorado defense, then scoring off his own wall pass to give Washington a 3-2 victory.
With six minutes remaining, Ovechkin made a break into Colorado’s zone down the right side. Then he bullied his way around Avs defenseman Jan Hejda and backhanded a purposeful pass to himself off the back boards.
With Avs goalie Reto Berra on a swivel, Ovechkin sneaked in a shot just inside the back post for the game-winner.
PHOTOS: Capitals-Avalanche-Rangers game Thursday at Pepsi Center
“It’s a game about mistakes,” Hejda said. “And I made one. And we paid the price.”
The Avalanche held high-scoring Washington to just 23 shots, well below Colorado’s average this season of 35.1 shots allowed.
“I thought we were outstanding defensively,” Colorado coach Patrick Roy said. “It’s a tough situation losing a game where you think you played a good game, but sometimes those things happen.”
The Avs dropped to 6-9-5 (17 points) and remain in last place in the NHL’s Central Division. Washington improved to 9-7-3.
“He made a great play, between the skates,” Roy said of Ovechkin’s game-winner. “He made a second effort to pick up his own rebound. Nice goal by him.”
Former Avalanche star Peter Forsberg, who attended Thursday’s game after his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, said he is keeping a long- distance eye on the Avs from his home in Sweden.
“I know the scores, I know where they are in the standings,” Forsberg said. “I know Patrick Roy is probably not happy.”
The Avs’ defense, their bane in losing five of six before a mini-streak of two wins in a row, came back to haunt them again.
With backup Berra in goal for the injured Semyon Varlamov (groin), the Avs seemed aware of needing to double-down on defense. Colorado cleared at least three loose pucks from the crease after Berra made an initial save.
One crease clear led to the Avs’ first goal in the second period. Dennis Everberg raced back to get the puck out of the blue on Berra’s backside, and his clearance keyed Daniel Briere’s break through the neutral zone. Briere slashed back to the middle, chipped a pass to Nathan MacKinnon, who backhanded a shot.
The save by Washington goalie Braden Holtby fell back to Briere, and his rebound try hit net for goal. The Avs’ offense, so quick in transition, was keyed by their defense.
Gabe Landeskog’s back check in the second led to his crisp cross-ice pass to Barrie, who one-timed a shot for a goal. But their defense also got the Avs in trouble. In the second, Ovechkin powered down the left side, muscling through Jarome Iginla and Erik Johnson. Ovechkin carved out his own space, enough to find Nicklas Backstrom on the back side. He two-touched a shot past Berra.
Washington picked on the Avs’ defense again in the second when Jason Chimera breezed down the left side. Barrie zoned Chimera to the outside but never made a move. Chimera used the time and space to whip a wrist shot past Berra’s backside for a go-ahead goal.
“You hold Washington to 23 shots and you’ll win some games. We’re going to have to simplify our game,” Roy said.
Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickgroke
