Avalanche fall to bottom of Western Conference

Despite last Friday’s regulation win over the streaking Blackhawks, the Avs have tumbled into the last place of their conference.

The Edmonton Oilers shutout the Avalanche for the first time in 11 years as they leapfrogged Colorado on Monday night at the Pepsi Center.  Devan Dubynk stopped 36 out of 36 shots improving his SV% to an impressive .919% on the season.

Colorado held the majority of scoring chances and momentum through the 1st period, outshooting the Oilers 12-8.  Until Shawn Horcoff opened up the scoring at 11:20 of the first period when Landeskog fell in the defensive zone, giving Horcoff a breakaway on Varlamov.  Shortly later, former first round pick Magnus Paajarvi dished to Sam Gagner for a goal; making it 2-0 heading into the second frame of play.

“I got a little lucky break on my goal there and then we just did a really good job, all four lines, of picking up the pace and getting to the net,” said Horcoff, who has scored a goal in both of his last games since returning from a broken knuckle. “It’s not easy to finish in Denver. I think we were all sucking wind a little bit, but when you’re not feeling great like that, that’s the kind of game we have to play.

Paajarvi and Nugent Hopkins added goals for the Oilers in the second and third period.

Edmonton played Chicago following the Avalanche streak ending win —winning in regulation— giving the Blackhawks their first two regulation losses of the season.

Wednesday, last place Calgary Flames defeated the Red Wings to tie the Avalanche in the standings.  Both teams hold a 10-11-4 record with 24 points, but Calgary beats out the Avs with one more ROW point (games not won in the shootout) with 10 versus the Avalanche’s 9.  Colorado stand dead last in the Western conference, and 26th in the league.

Thursday, the Avs will try their luck against the Minnesota Wild at the Excel Energy Center in Minnesota.