New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal, right, collects a loose puck as defenseman Ryan Pulock, back, looks on with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER (AP) — Brock Nelson scored his first two goals of the season 2:49 apart in the second period, and the New York Islanders beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 on Monday night to give coach Patrick Roy a win in his first game back in Denver.
Roy won two of his four Stanley Cup wins with Colorado and coached the team for three years before stepping down a month before training camp in 2016.
Anthony Duclair, Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal also scored for the Islanders, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 32 shots.
Calum Ritchie got his first NHL goal and Casey Mittelstadt also scored for Colorado, which has dopped its first three games Alexandar Georgiev made 32 saves.
Takeaways
Islanders: After being shut out 3-0 in Dallas on Saturday night they responded with an impressive game on Monday night. They trailed 1-0 just 1:01 in but scored the next four goals to take the lead. When Mittlestadt made it 4-2 early in the second, Duclair answered with a goal six minutes later.
Avalanche: Georgiev played better but a couple of his miscues led directly to the first two New York goals. Lee scored when he didn’t keep his skate against the right post and his failed attempt at a poke check gave Palmieri an open net.
Key moment
Colorado trailed 3-1 and was on a power play in the second period when defenseman Cale Makar’s blind pass at his own blue line was intercepted by Nelson, and he beat Georgiev for a short-handed goal.
Key stat
New York was up 2-1 after the first period, the first time it has led after the first this season. Sorokin had 10 saves in the first 20 minutes.
Up next
The Islanders continue their road trip at St. Louis on Thursday night. The Avalanche host Boston on Wednesday night.
New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, left, confers with a referee in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, left, stops a shot by New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev waits for play to resume in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, front, passes the puck as New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche left wing Miles Wood, front, congratulates center Calum Ritchie after his goal against the New York Islanders in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov, front, collects the puck as Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon pursues in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee, right, unloads a shot for a goal as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, center, and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev defend in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche left wing Miles Wood, front, battles for position to redirect the puck with New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield, middle, as goaltender Ilya Sorokin protects the net in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
