Colorado Avalanche vs Arizona Coyotes Match Player Stats On Aug 15, 2020

A dazzling Darcy Kuemper made 49 saves to lead the Arizona Coyotes past the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on Saturday in Edmonton, preventing the Coyotes from going down 3-0 and giving them new life in their playoff series.

Colorado still leads the best-of-seven set 2-1, but the Coyotes have a renewed faith in their chances heading into Monday's Game 4.

For that, they can thank Kuemper, who held strong despite an Avalanche onslaught for much of the afternoon. Kuemper recorded 20 saves in the first period alone, which set a franchise record for most saves in a postseason period. He held the record of 19, set earlier this summer against the Nashville Predators. It's also the second time this summer that Kuemper has won despite facing more than 50 shots on goal.

Knowing the importance of a strong start, the Coyotes came out with their best effort and were rewarded when Derek Stepan opened the scoring at 6:29 of the game. After a Colorado turnover, Stepan went to the front of the net and one-timed a pass from Clayton Keller for the tally. It's the first time in the series that Arizona held a lead.

From there, though, the Avalanche carried the play and drew even when Andre Burakovsky lit the lamp at 13:12 of the second period. Just after his team's power play expired, Burakovsky's shot from the high slot ricocheted off the shin pad of Arizona defenseman Alex Goligoski to make it 1-1. It was Colorado's 31st shot on goal.

However, former Avalanche Brad Richardson restored Arizona's lead with 34 seconds remaining in the second period. After entering the offensive zone, Conor Garland sent a cross-ice pass to Richardson and from the left face-off dot he ripped a top-corner shot.

While the Avs were frantically pressing for the equalizer, Taylor Hall's empty-net goal with 80 seconds remaining made it a 3-1 game. That tally became the game winner when Mikko Rantanen scored with 56.8 seconds remaining in regulation to set up a frantic finish. Rantanen shot from the top of the right circle and it deflected off a defender.

Lawson Crouse sealed the deal for the Coyotes, however, with another empty-net goal coming with five seconds left in the game.

Pavel Francouz stopped 19 shots for the Avalanche, who lost in regulation time for the first time since resuming play this month.

--Field Level Media