MacKinnon scores 399th career goal as surging Avalanche beat Kings 5-2
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, left, and Los Angeles Kings left wing Trevor Moore pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon scored the 399th goal of his career, Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist, and the surging Colorado Avalanche won their eighth in a row, 5-2 over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.
MacKinnon added an assist to go with his NHL-leading 32nd goal this season. Jack Drury, Cale Makar and Martin Necas also scored for the Avalanche, who have won 14 in a row at home.
Colorado has points in 28 of their last 29 games and are 10-0-1 in their last 11 to continue their historic start to the season. Colorado reached 65 points in 38 games, second all-time to the 1929-30 Boston Bruins.
Corey Perry scored and Joel Armia added a short-handed goal for Los Angeles, which has lost seven of nine.
Drury opened the scoring midway through the first period and Perry tied it with a power-play goal 5:15 into the second period.
Necas put Colorado back in front later in the second when he tapped in a puck that was sitting on the goal line. Nelson’s snap shot beat Anton Forsberg over his left shoulder with 2:30 left in the second.
Forsberg finished with 21 saves for the Kings.
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, front, redirects the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns covers in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots, including a save on Adrian Kempe’s short-handed breakaway late in the second period.
He couldn’t stop Armia, who skated the length of the ice and scored through the pads during a Colorado power play.
It was the NHL-leading seventh short-handed goal of the season for Los Angeles.
Forsberg came off for an extra skater with 2:26 remaining and MacKinnon scored an empty-netter with 1:37 remaining. Makar added another goal with 45 seconds to go to seal it.
Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury, right, collects the puck as Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, left, defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Up next
Kings: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Avalanche: Host St. Louis on Wednesday night.
