Georgiev makes 27 saves as Avalanche beat Blackhawks 5-0

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, front, makes a glove save of a shot as Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson covers in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 20, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

by: The Associated Press

Posted: Mar 20, 2023 / 10:23 PM MDT

Updated: Mar 20, 2023 / 10:23 PM MDT

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DENVER (AP) — Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves and Denis Malgin had two goals and an assist, helping the surging Colorado Avalanche beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 on Monday night.

Mikko Rantanen got his 47th goal and an assist as the Avs posted their sixth consecutive win. Logan O’Connor and Kurtis MacDermid also scored.

Georgiev’s fifth shutout of the season and No. 13 of his career lifted Colorado (41-22-6) into a tie with idle Minnesota for second place in the Central Division with 88 points, one behind Dallas. The Avalanche have played one less game than the Wild and Stars.

Alex Stalock stopped 27 shots for Chicago, which has dropped two straight.

Colorado star Cale Makar was scratched, but he is considered day to day with an undisclosed injury. His absence meant the Avs played without three of their top six defensemen. Josh Manson (lower body) has missed three weeks, and Erik Johnson (broken ankle) hasn’t played since Feb. 11.

MacDermid replaced Makar in the lineup and took advantage when his goal at 2:45 of the first period ricocheted off the knee of Blackhawks defenseman Ian Mitchell and by Stalock.

Malgin made it 2-0 at 6:17 of the second, and Rantanen’s power-play goal midway through the period gave Colorado a three-goal lead.

O’Connor and Malgin scored 14 seconds apart late in the third to blow it open. It was Malgin’s 10th of the season.