Nichushkin scores Avs game-winner in shootout against Bruins

The two highly skilled teams managed to equal each other and push the game to a shootout with the Avalanche prevailing in the end.

The Colorado Avalanche earned a 4-3 shootout victory against the Boston Bruins for the teams' first matchup this season. They will play again in 10 days at TD Garden. 

The Avalanche started the game with high energy and managed to stay on top of the puck, restricting the Bruins from creating many scoring chances. 

Both teams scored on the power play with the first coming from Bruins forward Brad Marchand at 8:39. 

Mikko Rantanen notched his 21st of the season on a tip-in from Nathan MacKinnon with 3:47 left in the period. 

Alexandar Georgiev made some big saves but the Avs outshot the Bruins 14-5 for a 1-1 tie at the end of the period. 

Logan O'Connor beat two Bruins defensemen to snag the puck and shoot it past Jeremy Swayman for the second Avs goal of the night 2:23 into the middle frame. 

John Beecher tied it up for the Bruins midway through the period on a shot as he was diving to the ice. 

Sam Malinksi, who was recalled Monday morning from the Colorado Eagles, netted his second goal in his 15th game with the Avalanche this season. 

The Avs outshot the Bruins again but only by one. The period ended with the Avalanche up by one. 

Brad Marchand got his second of the game via a tip-in from Charlie Coyle at 14:14 to tie the game. 

It was a give-and-go between both teams but neither broke the tie. Shots on goal for the period were Avalanche 12 - Bruins 8.

Logan O'Connor got called for holding at 3:02 in the extra time to give the Bruins a man advantage. The Avalanche killed off the penalty and Georgiev made four saves in the added frame. 

Georgiev stopped shots from Jake DeBrusk, Brad Marchand and David Pasternak. Swayman denied MacKinnon and Rantanen but was unable to stop Valeri Nichushkin's shot. 

The Avalanche earned two points with a 4-3 shootout final. 

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