By Canadian Press

Avalanche snap funk by crushing Senators 7-0

Jan 14, 2023 | 8:12 PM

DENVER (AP) — Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen and Alex Newhook each scored twice, Pavel Francouz made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season and the Colorado Avalanche routed the Ottawa Senators 7-0 on Saturday night.

Rantanen scored his 28th and 29th goals to break Joe Sakic’s 27-year-old team record for goals at the halfway point of the regular season.

Colorado had lost seven of eight games and was two days removed from a loss to the last-place Chicago Blackhawks. The seven goals are the most the Avalanche have scored this season.

Brad Hunt also scored for Colorado.

Rantanen started the scoring 5:45 into the game. It served as a catalyst for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who entered the matchup 23rd in the NHL in goals per game. Barely two minutes after Rantanen scored, Newhook added a goal of his own, firing a slap shot over goalie Anton Forsberg’s shoulder.

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With a third-period goal, Lehkonen had his first multi-goal game since Colorado’s season opener. Nathan MacKinnon had two assists, giving him four in two games.

The seven goals allowed were a career worst for Forsberg. He stopped 26 shots.

NOTES

Avalanche C Darren Helm was a scratch after suffering a lower-body injury in a 3-2 loss Thursday night at Chicago. In his place, Colorado called up LW Sampo Ranta, marking Ranta’s sixth stint with the team this season. … Avalanche C Denis Malgin was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Jan. 5. Malgin hadn’t played in Colorado’s previous three games entering Saturday after sustaining an upper-body injury … Senators LW Austin Watson and Avalanche D Andreas Englund earned five-minute major penalties for fighting in the second period.

UP NEXT

Avalanche: Host Detroit on Monday.

Senators: At St. Louis on Monday night.

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AP NHL: www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports

Craig Meyer, The Associated Press