Avalanche edges Canadiens 5-4 in shootout thriller

In a thrilling NHL matchup, the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday, despite the Canadiens rallying to tie the game late in the third period. Brock Nelson scored the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout and contributed a goal and an assist during regulation, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for Colorado. The Avalanche initially led 4-1, with goals from Nelson, Martin Necas, Sam Malinski, and Ryan Lindgren, before Montreal's Juraj Slafkovsky and Joshua Roy cut the deficit, followed by Christian Dvorak's equalizer. Montreal's Sam Montembeault stood out with 33 saves, although the team extended a six-game point streak despite the loss. The victory marked Colorado's second consecutive win and improved their record to 10-1-1 over their last 12 games, keeping them competitive in the playoff race. Meanwhile, Montreal remains in a tight battle for the Eastern Conference wild card spots with 75 points.