Avalanche blank Oilers 4-0 to continue Western Conference final lead

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) scores a goal against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith (41) and defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) during the second period in Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference finals Thursday, June 2, 2022, in Denver (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey).

Nazem Kadri set up three goals in just over two minutes early in the second period and Pavel Francouz made 24 saves in place of the injured Darcy Kuemper for the first playoff shutout of his career as the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 on Thursday to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference final.

Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen, with a goal and an assist each, Nathan MacKinnon and Josh Manson scored for the Avalanche during a furious push that lasted 2:04 and had the Oilers on their heels - much like the first 40 minutes of Colorado's wild 8-6 victory in Game 1.

Mike Smith stopped 35 shots for Edmonton, which had scored 31 goals in its last six contests, after getting pulled in the opener.

The best-of-seven series now shifts to the Alberta capital for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.

Following Tuesday's crazy curtain-raiser that saw all four netminders see action, the most goals in a conference final in 37 years and a controversial offside review, the teams played a spirited and even first period Thursday before the home side exploded following the intermission.

Lehkonen put the Avalanche in front at 3:58 of the second when he tipped home Kadri's shot for his fifth goal of the post-season after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci conspired to fumble the puck away in the defensive zone.

The raucous crowd at Ball Arena barely had a chance to catch its breath when Manson blasted his second just 15 seconds later off a Kadri feed following a soft play from Nurse, who missed the last four games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury, that led to another turnover.

Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft called timeout in an effort to stop the bleeding, but Rantanen continued the onslaught with his third at 6:02 on a 2-on-1 by finishing off another Kadri feed with Nurse as the only defender back.

The shell-shocked Oilers tried to respond as the period wore on, but Francouz was there to shut the door, including on a Leon Draisaitl power-play chance.

Nurse then had an opportunity to make it 3-1 late in the period when the seas parted, only to have the puck poked off his stick at the crucial moment by the Colorado backup, who played the second half of Game 1 after Kuemper exited with an upper-body injury.

Also pressed into service during Colorado's four-game sweep of the Nashville Predators in the first round after Kuemper took a stick to the eye, Francouz took a shot off the mask from Connor McDavid early in the third.

But the home side continued to keep its foot on the gas in a dominant performance at both ends of the rink before MacKinnon scored his 10th on a power play with 4:40 left in regulation with Smith missing his catching glove.

The Avalanche, who tied a franchise record for goals in a playoff game Tuesday, are now 57-8-5 in their last 70 home contests despite losing twice to the St. Louis Blues at Ball Arena in the second round.

Woodcroft scrambled his top-6 forwards Thursday - likely in hopes of spreading out his offensive options - including the splitting up of his two best players for the first time since the opening round of the playoffs. McDavid skated with Zach Hyman and Evander Kane, while Draisaitl lined up with Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto.

Much like in Game 1 when the Avalanche came at him in waves in building a 3-2 lead through 20 minutes, Smith was under fire early.

But unlike the opener, Edmonton's 40-year-old goaltender weathered the storm - for a time.

Smith stopped Devon Toews, Lehkonen and MacKinnon on a string of Avalanche opportunities.

After killing off the game's first power play, the Oilers faced the daunting task of facing a 5-on-3 man advantage against Colorado's speed and skill for 1:32, but Edmonton survived with Smith making another big stop on MacKinnon.

Jesse Puljujavri had two chances at the other end before Francouz had to scramble back to his crease on a Ceci shot from outside the blue line after he cleared a loose puck into the neutral zone.

Edmonton's other highlight of the opening 20 minutes was McDavid's crushing hit on Andrew Cogliano before the wheels fell off in the second as the Avalanche flexed their muscles to send the Oilers north with plenty of questions ahead of Game 3.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2022.