Avalanche finally solve Lukas Dostal late, but Ducks prevail in shootout

Corey Masisak, The Denver Post on Jan 22, 2026

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche avoided being shutout for the first time this season, but Lukas Dostal prevented them from claiming two points.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Avalanche, 2-1, in a shootout Wednesday night at Ball Arena. Colorado is now 3-1-2 on this season-long, seven-game homestand that wraps up Friday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

It took 34 shots and more than 56 minutes for the Avalanche to solve Dostal. Artturi Lehkonen buried a one-timer on a pass from Brock Nelson with 3:39 remaining in the third period to make it a 1-1 hockey game.

Anaheim nearly grabbed a late winner in regulation, but after Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood stopped the initial shot, both he and Victor Olofsson dove into the blue paint to keep the puck from crossing the goal line.

Dostal finished with 39 saves, including 19 in the third period and overtime. Wedgewood made 15, including a pair of breakaway stops in extra time.

The Avalanche tried out a new-look top line in this contest. Olofsson joined Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas on the first unit. Olofsson also joined the top power-play unit. The Avs had ample offensive zone time during their two chances with the extra man, but only three shots on goal.

Colorado’s typical top line, MacKinnon between Necas and Lehkonen, has logged the second-most minutes together at 5-on-5 of any forward trio in the NHL this season (460.8 minutes), trailing only Winnipeg’s top unit of Mark Scheifele between Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi (491.9 minutes).

Anaheim scored the lone goal of the opening 40 minutes on a counterattack early in the second period. Sam Malinski tried to poke the puck ahead along the left wall in the offensive zone, but Ducks captain Radko Gudas intercepted it and sent the visitors in the other direction.

Cutter Gauthier found Jeffrey Viel wide open as the trailer and he beat Wedgewood with a shot from the edge of the left circle. One of Colorado’s new-look top line forwards needed to find Viel, but Necas skated towards Gauthier and Olofsson wasn’t able to get back in time.

The Ducks just traded for the 28-year-old Viel on Friday, picking him up from the Boston Bruins for a fourth-round pick. Viel, known more as an energy player who will drop the gloves, had just three goals in 64 NHL games before joining Anaheim, but this was his second goal in three games for the Ducks.

Anaheim was without two of its best young players in this contest. Leading scorer Leo Carlsson hasn’t played since Jan. 10 because of a thigh injury that could keep the 21-year-old Swedish star out of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Mason McTavish was a late scratch just before puck drop because of an upper-body injury.

Footnotes

The Avs recalled Jack Ahcan and Taylor Makar for this game. Colorado has been rotating forwards in the final lineup spot with Gabe Landeskog and Joel Kiviranta injured. Kiviranta could return Friday against the Flyers. Ahcan, who played eight games earlier this year, is back with the parent club because Ilya Solovyov was traded Tuesday to the Pittsburgh Penguins for minor-league forward Valtteri Puustinen and a seventh-round pick.