Kuzmenko scores pair as Canucks beat struggling Avalanche, snap 3-game skid

Andrei Kuzmenko scored twice and his Vancouver Canucks got a much-needed win Thursday, edging the visiting Colorado Avalanche 4-2.

Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller each added a goal for the Canucks (17-18-3), who snapped a three-game losing skid and won their first game of 2023.

Elias Pettersson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson both contributed a pair of assists.

Mikko Rantanen and Samuel Girard replied for the Avs (19-15-3).

The Avs are now winless in five games (0-4-1) for the first time since a tough stretch from Oct. 26 to Nov. 5, 2019.

Colorado pulled Georgiev in favour of the extra attacker with just over two minutes on the clock.

Pettersson picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and sliced a cross-ice pass to Miller, who popped a short-range shot into the yawning net 18:24 into the third period.

The empty-net strike marked Miller's 14th goal of the season.

Avs centre Darren Helm got a clear breakaway with 2:16 left in the game, but Delia swallowed up his wrist shot to preserve the home side's lead.

After sputtering through the first half of the game, the Canucks erupted with three unanswered goals in two minutes and 33 seconds in the middle frame.

WATCH | Canucks score 3 quick goals in win over Avs:

Kuzmenko sparked the offence with a power-play goal 13:15 into the second, shovelling a backhanded shot in past Georgiev from the top of the crease after Toews was called for hooking.

Canucks defencemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson contributed an assist on the play, marking the 300th helper of his NHL career.

A highlight reel play set up Vancouver's second goal of the night.

Putting the puck between his owns legs, Kuzmenko sprung Pettersson for a partial breakaway. The Swedish centre drove into the Colorado zone, took the puck around