Nathan MacKinnon powered the Colorado Avalanche with two goals on the power play and an assist, while Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 shots against his former team in a 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
Artturi Lehkonen, Casey Mittelstadt, and Logan O’Connor also found the back of the net, as Colorado snapped a two-game losing streak. The Avalanche broke open what had been a close game by scoring three goals in just over four minutes during the third period.
Blackwood, who was originally drafted by New Jersey in 2015, continued his dominance against his old team, improving to 2-0 in three starts while allowing just one goal in those matchups.
Jake Allen made 31 saves for the Devils, who dropped 1-1 on their five-game road trip. Allen appeared visibly frustrated as he exited the game after conceding a fifth goal with 1:42 left in regulation. However, head coach Sheldon Keefe later clarified that the goaltender was dealing with cramps.
Jack Hughes provided New Jersey’s lone goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 11:32 remaining before Colorado’s offensive outburst put the game out of reach.
Valeri Nichushkin returned to action for the Avalanche after being sidelined for nearly two months with a lower-body injury. He recorded five shots in nearly 18 minutes of ice time. Martin Necas contributed three assists for Colorado.
Takeaways
Devils: Jake Allen avoided a potential injury scare after Artturi Lehkonen collided with him in the third period, knocking him over. Moments later, New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes was penalized for slashing, setting up MacKinnon’s second power-play goal.
Avalanche: Colorado continues to excel when Valeri Nichushkin is in the lineup, improving to 210-74-27 in games he plays.
Key Moment
With Colorado leading, MacKinnon nearly secured a hat trick when his shot trickled past Allen. Still, Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton made a critical save by reaching into the crease and preventing the puck from crossing the goal line.
Key Stat
MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 15 games, marking the third time in his career that he has recorded a home streak of at least 15.
Up Next
The Devils continue their road trip with a visit to Utah on Saturday night, while the Avalanche will host the Minnesota Wild on Friday.
