DENVER (AP) — Devon Toews scored twice ... He’s now 7-1-1 with Colorado. Carter Verhaeghe staked the Panthers to a 1-0 lead in the first period. The Panthers have proven tough to beat when scoring first on the road since 2023-24.

But the Avs looked like a completely different club Monday night, completing the first half of the regular season with a statement effort against the defending champion Florida Panthers. Devon Toews scored twice, Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves and the Avalanche scratched out its 25th win in 41 games, a 3-1 victory at Ball Arena.

With two of their top defensemen out, the Florida Panthers knew they were in for a challenge Monday night in Denver against the Avalanche. Sergei Bobrovsky — and the defensemen in for the Panthers — were up for the task.

DENVER -- Devon Toews had two goals and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche scored three straight goals to rally for a 3-1 win against the Florida Panthers at Ball Arena on Monday.

DENVER — Devon Toews scored twice ... He’s now 7-1-1 with Colorado. Carter Verhaeghe staked the Panthers to a 1-0 lead in the first period. The Panthers have proven tough to beat when scoring ...

DENVER — Devon Toews scored twice ... Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 26 saves. Carter Verhaeghe staked the Panthers to a 1-0 lead in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 31 shots.

The Avalanche is 6-0-1 in its past seven games and wrapped up a 3-0-1 homestand. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves for Florida.

Devon Toews scored twice and added an assist as the Avalanche ... With the win, the Avs finished the first half of the season with a 25-15-1 record. Carter Verhaeghe put Florida on the board first with a right-circle one-timer at 15:57 of the first period.

Kirby Dach scored twice and the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-3 on Tuesday night. Mike Matheson, Patrik Laine and Cole Caufield also scored for Montreal, which has won eight of its last 10.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in the shootout as the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night.

For Jason Carter, one simple sandwich evokes special Christmas memories of his late grandmother, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Instead of reflecting on her numerous social and political accomplishments, Jason chooses to remember Rosalynn as he saw her ...

We are firmly into the second half with a neck-and-neck-and-neck race for the top of the fantasy podium. Connor Hellebuyck will surely start getting some additional rest later in the season, so the race at the top right now is between Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon.