Armia scores late, Canadiens edge Avalanche to end 3-game skid

Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist, Nick Suzuki had two assists, and Jake Allen made 32 saves in his first start since Jan. 4 for Montreal (18-18-7), which was winless in its past three games (0-1-2).

Cale Makar had a goal and two assists, and Alexandar Georgiev made 30 saves for Colorado (28-13-3), which had won three straight and was 9-1-1 in its previous 11 games.

Armia scored five-hole on the backhand from the top of the crease to give the Canadiens their second consecutive one-goal lead in the third.

Ross Colton gave Colorado a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 4:28 of the first period, converting on a rebound of his own shot.

Juraj Slafkovsky tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 7:17 when he reached around Georgiev from the right edge of the crease to score on his own rebound after one-timing Suzuki’s pass from the left side.

Slafkovsky’s goal was scored after Colorado forward Jonathan Drouin was given a standing ovation from the capacity crowd when a video tribute played on the scoreboard during a stoppage in play. Drouin, who patted his chest and waved to the crowd as he stood on the bench, signed a one-year contract with Colorado for $825,000 on July 1 after spending the previous six seasons with the Canadiens.

Makar made it 2-1 for the Avalanche with a one-timer of Samuel Girard’s pass at 1:01 of the second.

Rafael Harvey-Pinard tied it 2-2 at 16:08 when he scored on a second effort, driving the net and tapping his own rebound under Georgiev’s pads for his first goal of the season.

Caufield made it 3-2 with Montreal’s second power-play goal at 1:52 of the third with a wrist shot over the glove from the bottom of the left circle.

Devon Toews one-timed Mikko Rantanen’s cross-ice pass to tie the game 3-3 while playing 4-on-4 at 9:37.

The Avalanche dressed seven defensemen and 11 forwards after it was announced forward Valeri Nichushkin will be out indefinitely while he receives care from the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL.