Avalanche 2, Maple Leafs 1
TORONTO - PA Parenteau scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as the Colorado Avalanche remained undefeated after three games with a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
The loss by the Maple Leafs before a crowd of 19,388 at Air Canada Centre was their first in four games.
Joffrey Lupul scored to give the Leafs a lead during the second period, and Cory Sarich tied it for the Avalanche.
The Avalanche (3-0) took a 2-1 lead at 2:30 of the third period when Parenteau scored from close range after Jamie McGinn skated down the left side and put the puck in front of the net. It was the third goal of the season for Parenteau. Nathan MacKinnon also picked up an assist.
Jonathan Bernier got the start in the Leafs goal after a superb relief job on Saturday when he took over from James Reimer during the second period of a 5-4 comeback win over Ottawa in a shootout. He stopped 31 of 33 shots against the Avalanche on Tuesday.
Semyon Varlamov started in goal for the Avalanche for the third game in a row and stopped 27 of 28 shots.
Lupul scored from a scramble in front of the goal at 13:12 of the second period to give the Leafs (3-1) the lead. It was the left winger's second goal of the season. The only assist went to right winger Carter Ashton, his first NHL point. Ashton took a shot on goal that Varlamov stopped. MacKinnon then lost the puck. Lupul took a shot that Varlamov stopped, but the goalkeeper had no chance on Lupul's second shot.
But slightly more than a minute after a fight that earned major penalties for Toronto's Troy Bodie and Colorado's Cody McLeod, the Avalanche tied the game at 16:39 on a 30-foot snap shot by Sarich, his first goal of the season. It came shortly after Bernier stopped a close-in shot by Steve Downie.
The game was tied 0-0 after the first period with the Leafs holding a 12-10 edge in shots on goal. The Avalanche had a 2-1 advantage in power-play situations in the period.
NOTES: The Maple Leafs recalled LW Jamie Devane and C Trevor Smith from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. ... Leafs C Jay McClement was not in the lineup because his wife was due to give birth. ... LW Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado's captain, returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing Friday's game against the Nashville Predators with a minor knee injury. ... Colorado and Toronto last met Oct. 17, 2011, with the Avalanche winning 5-4 in overtime at Air Canada Centre. The teams meet again in Denver on Jan. 21. ... Colorado plays the Bruins at Boston on Thursday, and D Ryan Wilson (knee) could be ready to return to the lineup. ... Toronto plays at Nashville on Thursday.
