The Avalanche are back on track, back in the winning column, and back to being led by superstar center Nathan MacKinnon.
After scoring just one goal in his previous six games, MacKinnon had two goals and an assist on Monday, leading the Avs to a commanding 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals at Ball Arena. MacKinnon scored on the power play in the second before adding a goal and an assist in the third to build on Colorado’s lead. He also had 10 shots on goal and 19 shot attempts.
MacKinnon recorded his 1,100th point in the process, becoming the 70th player in league history to reach the mark.
“He was great tonight. Yeah, he was fantastic,” Bednar said.
Added MacKinnon: “I want to play well, feel good, and help the team.”
Parker Kelly, Victor Olofsson, and Artturi Lehkonen had the other goals for the Avalanche. Martin Necas finished with two assists to get all three members of the top line back on the scoresheet.
“It wasn’t all pretty but we definitely generated a bunch of looks today,” MacKinnon said.
Kelly got the Avalanche on the board first, redirecting a Cale Makar point shot to make it 1-0 at 5:54. Kelly cut through the crease just as Makar released the puck from the blueline. His career-high ninth of the year was also assisted by Aex Barre-Boulet, who was called up earlier in the day and made his Avalanche debut.
Boulet replaced Valeri Nichushkin in the lineup after the team announced an upper-body injury for their second-line winger. Bednar later said that Nichushkin was involved in a minor car wreck on his way to the rink.
READ MORE: Valeri Nichushkin Involved in Multiple Car Accident
Colorado’s lead didn’t last long. Just over a minute after the Kelly tally, the Capitals got a power play, and it took just 29 seconds for Jakob Chychrun to beat Scott Wedgewood from the point.
Wedgewood was dinged for tripping. And it was a weird one.
The Avs goalie tried to poke the puck away from Anthony Beuvillier. Instead, his stick was knocked out of his hand and landed behind the net. As Beavillier was circling the boards, he stepped on the stick, and the official’s arm went up. Wedgewood was called for tripping despite not actually holding the stick that tripped up the Capitals forward. He also didn’t intentionally drop his stick.
“That’s exactly what I saw. Their guy skated through, knocked a stick out of his hands, and tripped on it behind the net,” Bednar said. “I mean, you tell me if it’s a penalty or not. Obviously, it is tonight.”
The Avs had three minor penalties in the first but killed off the other two. They ended the day 3-for-4 on the PK. And their power play also broke through in the second.
Colorado got a lengthy four-minute power play at 4:23 because of a double-minor for high-sticking on Chychrun. He caught Ross Colton up high.
The initial two minutes were killed off, but MacKinnon tallied his 37th of the year during the second part of the call, at 7:03.
Most of the period was spent in Washington’s end, as the Avs continued to cycle. Later, with the faceoff in the offensive zone, Brock Nelson won a faceoff back to Josh Manson. The blueliner put it on goal, and Olofsson scored on the rebound to make it 3-1. His ninth of the season came at 15:58.
It didn’t take long for the Capitals to respond. Ethen Frank made it a one-goal game just 17 seconds later.
Having outshot the Capitals 16-8 in the second, the Avalanche kept pressing in the third. Chychrun was called for delay of game after shooting the puck out of play. On the ensuing power play, goalie Charlie Lindgren made a spectacular save on a vintage MacKinnon one-timer from the left circle.
He followed it up with another one minutes later while Colorado was on a 4-on-3 PP. And then he stopped Nelson on a break after he exited the box. Lindgren finished the night with 39 saves as the Avs outshot Washington 44-24, including 17-3 in the third.
The Avs thought they had a goal from Makar with 8:55 remaining, but it was called back for goalie interference. Necas was parked above the blue paint. He didn’t make any contact with Lindgren, but the goalie’s stick was caught up in the Avs forward. As Lindgren tried to move from right to left, he lost his stick and his glove.
Washington called a timeout to get a better look before deciding to challenge the play. The review didn’t last long. The goal was overturned, and the crowd did not agree. Neither did the Avalanche.
“I have no clue what [goalie interference] is, to this day,” Bednar said. “I don’t mind saying it.”
Just over a minute later, the top line went back to work. MacKinnon fed Lehkonen, who beat Lindgren to make it 4-2. After embracing his teammate, MacKinnon furiously pointed to the back of the net, signaling a goal.
MacKinnon added his league-leading 38th goal for good measure with 3:30 remaining in regulation.
Good: MacKinnon Was Buzzing
The last few games haven’t been quite to the standard of MacKinnon. And it’s funny to say that, given that he had four assists in the two losses. But this game was different.
Without Nichushkin or Gabe Landeskog, the Avalanche needed the top guys to step their game back up. MacKinnon was incredible. He was skating well, moving the puck with ease, and getting anything and everything on goal.
He looked dangerous on the power play and could’ve easily had a hat trick.
Bad: The penalty on Wedgewood
Wedgewood didn’t agree with the call and had a point. I’m not sure if the official thought he dropped the stick on purpose, or if the player tripped because of the poke check. But the call was terrible, and those ones are, funny enough, often the hardest to kill.
Chychrun scored on that PP. It was the only time the Capitals could capitalize on the man advantage, and it came on a call that shouldn’t have been made.
“I’m just a dirty player,” Wedgewood joked.
