Blackhawks' record streak snapped by Avalanche

DENVER, Colorado (AFP) –

The Colorado Avalanche celebrate a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 8, 2013 in Denver. Blackhawks’ record point streak to start the National Hockey League season ended after 24 games as they suffered a 6-2 loss.

The Chicago Blackhawks’ record point streak to start the National Hockey League season ended after 24 games as they suffered a 6-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

Colorado’s Matt Duchene scored one goal and set up three others to spark the Avalanche, who scored four unanswered goals on only nine shots in the second period to break a 1-1 deadlock and seize command.

The Blackhawks, who saw their club-record win streak snapped at 11 games, began the season with an overall mark of 21 wins and three over-time losses, each worth a single point, during the unprecedented streak.

That amounted to a half-season with only three points less than the maximum possible in this year’s campaign, which was trimmed to 48 games per club due to a lockout by club owners in a money dispute with players.

Fans in the sellout crowd at the Denver arena began chanting, “End of streak” as the closing minutes ticked off the clock.

Dating to last season, the Blackhawks had not been beaten in regulation time over 30 games, going 24-0-6 in a 347-day span, until being crushed by the Avalanche.

Chicago fell five games shy of matching the overall NHL record point streak established by the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers.

The Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews opened the scoring only 5:44 into the game but Colorado equalized on a power-play goal by Paul Stastny with 3:24 remaining in the first period.

Duchene put Colorado ahead to stay 4:16 into the second period and John Mitchell followed 33 seconds later to boost the Avalanche lead.

Ryan O’Reilly added a power-play goal 10:47 into the period and Jamie McGinn made it 5-1 just 3:10 later.

Chicago’s Bryan Bickell found the net 8:53 into the third period but P.A. Parenteau answered for Colorado with 4:14 remaining.