Avalanche win Game 3, push Oilers to brink in Western Final

EDMONTON — J.T. Compher scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period for the Colorado Avalanche, who pushed the Edmonton Oilers to the brink of elimination with a 4-2 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place on Saturday.

Compher gave the Avalanche a 3-2 lead at 12:42 of the third period. Shortly after exiting the penalty box, he won a battle for the loose puck along the boards against Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard and scored five-hole from the right face-off circle. Bouchard hit the post seven seconds prior to Compher’s goal.

Compher has scored five goals in the past four games.

Colorado leads the best-of-7 series 3-0. Game 4 is at Edmonton on Monday.

Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals, Devon Toews had two assists, and Pavel Francouz made 27 saves for the Avalanche, who are the No. 1 seed from the Central Division.

Forward Nazem Kadri left with an undisclosed injury after he was hit into the boards by Oilers forward Evander Kane at 1:06 of the first period. Kane was assessed a major penalty for boarding on the play.

Connor McDavid and Ryan McLeod scored, and Mike Smith made 38 saves for the Oilers, the No. 2 seed from the Pacific Division.

McDavid scored on the first shot of the game to give Edmonton a 1-0 lead 38 seconds into the first period. He came off the bench, took a pass from Zach Hyman, and shot five-hole from the left circle.

Nichushkin tied it 1-1 at 16:12 when his centering pass deflected in off the stick of Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.

Nichushkin then made it 2-1 at 4:37 of the second period, scoring from near the right hash marks after Toews’ point shot was blocked in front.

McLeod tied it 2-2 at 7:34 of the third period. He skated the length of the ice and scored glove side with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line.

Francouz kept the game tied when he made an outstanding glove save on McDavid at 11:43 during a power play.

After Compher put the Avalanche in front, Mikko Rantanen shot into an empty net at 19:30 for the 4-2 final.