Flames, Monahan hand Avalanche 4-2 loss
CALGARY, Alberta -- Sean Monahan had a goal and three assists to lead the Calgary Flames to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Johnny Gaudreau and Micheal Ferland each added a goal and an assist for the Flames (43-29-4), who can clinch a playoff berth with a win in regulation over the Los Angeles Kings at home on Wednesday.
Troy Brouwer also scored for Calgary, and goaltender Brian Elliott stopped 24 shots for his 25th win of the season and 14th in his past 16 games.
Sven Andrighetto scored twice for the Avalanche (20-52-3), who have lost six straight games and nine in a row on the road.
Calvin Pickard made 23 saves in the Avalanche net.
It doesn't get any easier for the Avalanche, who return home to Denver to face the league leading Washington Capitals (49-17-8) on Wednesday.
Calgary had an early chance on the power play when former Flames center Joe Colborne was sent to the penalty box for tripping Gaudreau just 23 seconds into the game.
Monahan capitalized on the man advantage at 1:30 when his shot from the slot deflected off Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson's stick and past Pickard.
The Avs had two power-play opportunities early in the second period, including a two-man advantage for nine seconds, but weren't able to get any pucks past Elliott.
The Flames went up 2-0 at 4:23 when Ferland lifted a shot over Pickard's blocker for his 15th goal of the season. Gaudreau drew an assist on the play for his 200th NHL point.
Andrighetto broke Johnson's shutout bid with a power-play goal at 3:06 of the third period. Although Johnson's shot from the point missed the net, it bounced off the boards and right out front to Andrighetto, who swatted it past Elliott.
The Flames answered right back with a power-play goal of their own at 4:58 when Brouwer took a pass from Monahan and wired a shot to the top corner, glove side past Pickard.
Andrighetto pulled the Avs within one at 18:06 when he fired a long shot past Elliott with Pickard on the bench for an extra attacker.
Gaudreau then scored into an empty net with 3.4 seconds left.
NOTES: Calgary scratched C Curtis Lazar, C Freddie Hamilton, D Dennis Wideman and D Rasmus Andersson. ... Colorado scratched C John Mitchell, D Cody Goloubef and D Patrick Wiercioch. ... Flames RW Troy Brouwer played his first NHL game against the Avalanche on Dec. 23, 2006, when he was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. Brouwer also scored his first NHL goal for the Blackhawks against Colorado on Nov. 3, 2008. ... Flames LW Johnny Gaudreau has eight points (one goal, seven assists) during a five-game point streak. C Sean Monahan has registered nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past five games. ... Colorado RW Sven Andrighetto has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past six games.