Brock Nelson scored two power play goals and Nathan MacKinnon added his own awarded empty net goal plus three primary assists as the Colorado Avalanche erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5–3 on Saturday night at Lenovo Center.
The win pushed Colorado’s streak to 10 games and improved the Avalanche to an NHL-best 31-2-7. MacKinnon drove the comeback with his playmaking and pace, while Nelson cashed in twice with the man advantage to swing the momentum firmly
in Colorado’s favor.
Scott Wedgewood picked up the win in net, turning aside 25 of 28 shots.
Carolina got goals from Sebastian Aho, Nikolai Ehlers, and Andrei Svechnikov. Frederik Andersen finished with 30 saves on 34 shots in a strong performance despite the loss.
First Period
Victor Olofsson, who had been stuck without a point for seven games, was active late in the opening period and created several chances, including a shot under pressure that Andersen was able to handle. It was easily his most noticeable game in weeks, yet ultimately Olofsson didn’t get on the scoresheet.
Through 12 minutes, the shot count was nearly even, with Colorado holding an 8–7 edge.
With 8:02 left in the period, Josh Manson stepped into Jordan Staal as he went after a loose puck, but the hit came just late enough to draw an interference penalty.
Carolina’s William Carrier was later called for interference with 3:28 remaining, giving the Avalanche a power play. Colorado generated good looks, including multiple rebound chances for Artturi Lehkonen, but Andersen’s pads kept the puck out.
The momentum flipped in the final seconds of the power play. Cale Makar turned the puck over at the blue line, sending Aho in alone on a shorthanded breakaway, and he beat Wedgewood five-hole to give the Hurricanes a 1–0 lead.
Second Period
It didn’t take long for Gabriel Landeskog to tie the game at 1:47 of the second, wrapping the puck around the net for his seventh goal of the season.
However, Ehlers answered right back at 4:47, scoring on the power play with a quick shot from the slot to restore Carolina’s lead.
The Hurricanes made it 3–1 at 7:50 when Svechnikov finished a rush chance with a backhand from the top of the crease. With a two-goal lead after 40 minutes of play, it was looking like Colorado was headed to their third regulation loss.
Comeback Complete
Not so fast as Colorado began its rally early in the third period. Nelson cut the deficit to 3–2 just 1:09 in, redirecting a power-play shot from MacKinnon at the top of the crease for his 17th goal of the season.
Saturday also marked Jack Drury’s first game in Carolina since joining Colorado, along with teammates Martin Nečas and Brent Burns. Burns signed with the Avalanche in the offseason, while Drury and Nečas were part of the trade that originally sent Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes.
Drury made his return count, tying the game at 1:42 of the third by snapping a left-circle shot past Andersen off a feed from Ross Colton.
Nelson then scored the go-ahead goal for the Avalanche at 7:30 of the frame, as he ripped a right-circle one-timer on the power play off another MacKinnon setup to cap a beautiful sequence.
MacKinnon sealed the win at 19:42 with an awarded empty-net goal for his 35th of the season. The goal also marked his 33rd career four-point game, moving him past Joe Sakic for the second-most in franchise history. The Avalanche walked away with the 5-3 victory in another wild game against the Hurricanes.
Next Game
The Avalanche wrap up a back-to-back on Sunday, facing the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at 3 p.m. local time.
