PHILADELPHIA _ So much for the Flyers building momentum from their workmanlike win Saturday over New Jersey.
The Flyers, their special teams still struggling, dropped a 4-1 decision Monday to speedy Colorado at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers (4-5) have yet to win back-to-back games this season, and they are 2-3 on home ice.
Early in the third period, the Flyers failed to connect on their third power play of the night. Their power play is 1 for 14 over the last five games, and their penalty kill _ which is near the bottom of the NHL _ allowed the game's first goal.
Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves to help Colorado improve to 6-1-2, including two wins over the Flyers.
With the Flyers trailing, 3-0, Nolan Patrick redirected Travis Sanheim's point drive past Varlamov to get the Flyers within two goals with 16 minutes, 34 seconds left in the third period. But Varlamov denied their swarming attack the rest of the game.
Colorado had taken a 3-0 lead 61 seconds earlier when Claude Giroux fanned on a shot near the Flyers' offensive blue line, and Gabriel Landeskog outraced Robert Hagg and scored on a breakaway.
It was Landeskog's seventh goal on the Avalanche's four-game (3-0-1) road trip.
Mikko Rantanen made it 4-1 with an empty-net goal.
Colorado's top line has scored 12 of its last 14 goals over the last four games _ seven by Landeskog, three by Rantanen, and two by Nathan MacKinnon.
The Avs aren't getting much secondary scoring, but if their dynamic first line keeps producing at a mind-boggling pace, it may not matter.
Colorado's top line showed the way in the first period while on the power play, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead just 3:23 after the opening faceoff.
MacKinnon whipped a perfect backhand pass to Rantanen, who scored from the slot, marking the eighth time in nine games the Flyers have allowed the game's first goal.
All three Avs first-liners are among the NHL's scoring leaders.
"I think they're the top line in the league right now," Hagg said before the game.
Jordan Weal was in the penalty box for tripping when Rantanen gave Colorado the early lead. It was Weal's fourth minor penalty in the last two games.
The Flyers can't afford being short-handed. They began the night ranked 29th out of 31 teams on the penalty kill. If it sounds like Groundhog Day, well, it is. They finished 29th last season.
Brian Elliott and Varlamov exchanged big saves in the second period, and the Avs goaltender was also aided by a Radko Gudas shot that hit the right post.
About a minute after Oskar Lindblom was denied on a rebound attempt, Colorado made it 2-0 with 5:06 left in the second as Matt Nieto scored from the left circle, near the high slot, after taking a slick pass from Matt Calvert and putting a shot between Elliott's right pads and the post.
Hagg's failed outlet pass came back to haunt the Flyers, leading to Nieto's first goal of the season.
With 4:15 remaining in the second, Flyers fourth-line left winger Michael Raffl had to be helped off the ice and into the locker room after being hit into the boards by Patrik Nemeth. Raffl could not put any pressure on his left foot.
If Raffl can't play Thursday in Boston, Corban Knight will probably take his place. He could also fill his spot on the penalty kill.
With 8:19 to go in the game, Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere limped off the ice after it appeared he was hit with a puck on his left knee. He later returned to the game.
