MacKinnon propels Avalanche to 5-1 victory over Ducks
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram, left, celebrates after his goal with forwards Logan O'Connor, front, and Darren Helm during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, March 27, 2023. Credit: AP/Ringo H.W. Chiu
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist in his 700th NHL game and the Colorado Avalanche won their third straight game, beating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 Monday night.
Bowen Byram, also had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who are one point behind Dallas for the Central Division lead. Jack Johnson, Valeri Nichushkin and Samuel Girard also scored for Colorado, and Cale Makar had two assists. Jonas Johansson stopped 29 shots.
Anaheim, which went 1-6-1 on its eight-game homestand, got its lone goal from Derek Grant. John Gibson made 39 saves. Trevor Zegras suffered a lower-body injury during the second period and did not return
MacKinnon has 24 points this month, which is tied for second in the league. His 10 goals are tied for third. He also became the eighth player in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history to appear in 700 games.
MacKinnon scored the go-ahead goal with 7.9 seconds remaining in the first period with a great individual effort. The center kept possession of the puck deep in the offensive zone, skated to the top of the left faceoff circle and put a wrist shot over Gibson's shoulder on his blocker side for his 32nd of the season and put Colorado up 2-1.
The Ducks opened the scoring 12 minutes into the game when Grant took Jakob Silfverberg's pass and put it between Johansson's legs for his fifth of the season.
Three minutes later, Bryam found the net for the fourth time in the last nine games with a shot from the point just beyond the left faceoff circle that found its way through traffic.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews (7) and Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano (77) vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, March 27, 2023. Credit: AP/Ringo H.W. Chiu
Colorado put it out of reach with a pair of goals 96 seconds apart early in the second period. Johnson ended a 146-game goal drought with a snap shot from the point. Nichushkin followed at 3:46 with his 16th off a pass by MacKinnon.
Girard then gave the Avalanche a power-play goal for the 12th straight game four minutes into the third on a rebound in front of the net. The streak with the man advantage is the longest in the league this year and two off the franchise record, set in 1995-96.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: Host Minnesota on Wednesday.
Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson (36) makes a save in front of Colorado Avalanche forward Lars Eller (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, March 27, 2023. Credit: AP/Ringo H.W. Chiu
Ducks: Begin a three-game road trip against Seattle Thursday.
