Sidney Crosby failed to reach 1,000 career points Thursday and the Avalanche failed to win its third consecutive game. Still, an entertaining game unfolded with the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins at the Pepsi Center.
The Penguins’ 4-1 victory might suggest the defending Stanley Cup champions dominated the NHL’s weakest team. But in reality, Colorado generally traded chance-for-chance with the Pens, despite not scoring until the final minutes. And Avs goalie Calvin Pickard had an off night. He was outplayed by Matt Murray, who led the Penguins to the Cup as a 21-year-old last spring.