Colorado Avalanche 4-1 Anaheim Ducks
November 12, 2025 – Author: IHM News
Wedgewood turns away 35 shots; Necas nets the dagger on the power play as Colorado controls the third.
Colorado snapped out quickly and never really let go, beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 at home after a wire-to-wire, shot-heavy night. Artturi Lehkonen scored 28 seconds in, Gabriel Landeskog restored the lead in the second, and Martin Necas delivered the key third-period power-play strike before an empty-netter sealed it. Scott Wedgewood handled the rest with a composed 35-save performance, outdueling Lukas Dostal as the Avalanche managed special teams and game state down the stretch.
How it happened
First period – 1-1. Colorado set the tone immediately: Lehkonen finished from the slot at 00:28 off touches from Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Anaheim answered late when Leo Carlsson tied it 1-1 at 18:16, capping a greasy sequence around the crease. The frame also featured a parade of minors that foreshadowed a special-teams-tilted night.
Second period – 2-1 COL. With the game tightening, the Avalanche leaned on their forecheck and blue-line activation. Gabriel Landeskog snapped the 1-1 deadlock at 11:37, finishing a feed from Valeri Nichushkin with defenseman Sam Malinski jumping into the play.
Third period – Avalanche close the door. A delay-of-game minor put Anaheim under pressure, and Colorado cashed: Necas ripped the PPG at 07:02 (Lehkonen, MacKinnon) for a crucial two-goal cushion. With Dostal pulled, Parker Kelly iced it into the empty net at 17:39 (MacKinnon, Nelson). From there, Wedgewood’s structure-clean lanes, square on first shots-did the rest.
Numbers Box
- Shots on goal: COL 36, ANA 36
- Shots off target: COL 15, ANA 9
- Shooting %: COL 11.11% (4/36), ANA 2.78% (1/36)
- Blocked shots: COL 19, ANA 13
- Goalie saves: Wedgewood (COL) 35/36 – 97.22%; Dostal (ANA) 32/36 – 91.43%
- Penalties: COL 3, ANA 5
- PIM: COL 6, ANA 10
- Power play: COL 1/5, ANA 0/3
- Notable: Lehkonen GWG + 2-point night; MacKinnon 2 A; Necas PPG; Colorado wins the special-teams battle.
Team Notes
- Colorado: Fast start metric matters-Lehkonen’s first-minute goal set the ice tilt. Blue line activation (Makar/Toews/Malinski) drove the middle frame.
- Anaheim: Created volume (36 SOG) but struggled to get interior looks; 0-for-4 on the power play proved costly.
Coach Mark Comment
Colorado’s neutral-zone work funneled Anaheim outside and protected the slot. The third-period detail on the PP was clinical- quick puck speed, middle-lane presence, and a one-touch finish from Necas. Wedgewood’s reads were calm, especially on east-west.
Questions & Answers | IHM Performance Metrics
Q1: What was the true separator at 5-on-5?
A: Colorado’s controlled exits and layered entries-defenseman activation plus F3 discipline-tilted possession even with shots equal.
Q2: How did special teams impact the result?
A: The Avalanche went 1/4 and denied Anaheim on all four attempts; the single PPG arrived at a clutch game state to make it 3-1.
Q3: Which matchup mattered most?
A: MacKinnon’s line versus Anaheim’s top six; Colorado generated interior touches and drew the key penalty that led to the dagger.
Q4: Goalie edge?
A: Wedgewood (97.22% SV) out-performed Dostal (91.43%), particularly on first-chance looks from the dots.
Q5: What’s the takeaway for the next meeting?
A: If Anaheim doesn’t win the net-front and PP entries, Colorado’s pace and blue-line support will keep dictating shot quality.
