SALT LAKE CITY \u2014 The Colorado Avalanche didn\u2019t have superstar Nathan MacKinnon on Wednesday night, but they did have Parker Kelly and a bunch of other Olympians.<\/p>\n
Kelly created a highlight-reel goal, while Brock Nelson and Martin Necas scored in their first game back from the 2026 Winter Olympics to help the Avs defeat the Utah Mammoth, 4-2, at Delta Center. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves, including 13 in the third period, to collect the win. Colorado improved to a league-best 38-9-9.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got lots of depth,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cObviously we missed (MacKinnon). He\u2019s a big part of our team, but we have a lot of guys who can step up and play important minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
MacKinnon did not play because of \u201cmaintenance,\u201d per a team spokesman. Avs coach Jared Bednar said MacKinnon should be available to play Thursday night at Ball Arena against the Minnesota Wild.<\/p>\n
After a scoreless first period, there was an offensive explosion in the middle frame.<\/p>\n
Kelly collected the puck in his own end and then skated through four Utah defenders before wiring a shot past Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka at 3:26 of the period. That will be one of the Colorado goals of the season, and it extended Kelly\u2019s career-best total to 13.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s done that a couple times this year, so now we expect it out of him, I guess,\u201d Avs defenseman Cale Makar said. \u201cHe\u2019s playing really well this season. It\u2019s awesome to see him scoring as much as he has. He\u2019s a very valuable player for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelly helped set up the second goal less than six minutes later. He used his body to keep the puck in the offensive zone near the blue line before sending it to Sam Malinski. The Avs defenseman set up Victor Olofsson in the right circle for his 11th of the season at 9:13.<\/p>\n
That is Olofsson\u2019s first goal away from Ball Arena this year. This was also his first game since the birth of his daughter, Viola, on Feb. 10 during the Olympic break.<\/p>\n
Dylan Guenther scored the first of his two goals in the period with a one-timer on the power play to help Utah cut the lead in half at 10:49. Nelson, fresh off helping the United States win gold in men\u2019s hockey for the first time in 46 years, answered for the Avs with his 30th of the season at 12:20 of the period.<\/p>\n
Nelson, filling in for MacKinnon on the top line, one-timed a pass in the high slot from captain Gabriel Landeskog. This was Landeskog\u2019s first game with the Avs since Jan. 4. He did play five games for Sweden in Milan.<\/p>\n
Guenther answered right back 60 seconds later with a snap shot from between the hash marks. That capped a frenetic stretch of four goals in 4:07 between the two clubs.<\/p>\n
These two teams ranked 31st and 32nd in the NHL on the power play at the Olympic break, but both clubs scored with the extra man in this one. Colorado\u2019s came on its first opportunity.<\/p>\n
Necas, who was Czechia\u2019s best player in Milan, stayed hot. Makar teed him up for a one-timer in the left circle and he blasted it past Vejmelka at 17:17 of the second to put the Avs back in front by two goals. It was his 23rd goal of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I loved it,\u201d Makar said of the work on the power play. \u201cI thought we had some good opportunities. I think we\u2019ve just got to continue to build that. \u2026 I really liked the patience we showed with the puck, in zone especially.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was the first game with the Avalanche for defenseman Brett Kulak. Colorado traded Samuel Girard and a second-round pick in 2028 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday morning for Kulak.<\/p>\n
Kulak played 19:03, including a team-high 18:21 at even strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was good,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cI just think, suppressing scoring chances, he did a nice job. \u2026 For the most part, he looked pretty comfortable in our structure, moved the puck pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n