Nathan MacKinnon’s Milestone Performance
In a standout performance, Nathan MacKinnon netted two goals and provided an assist as he reached the milestone of 1,100 career points during the Colorado Avalanche’s 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday night in Denver. This achievement places him alongside the legendary Joe Sakic as one of the only players to accomplish this feat in the Avalanche’s storied history.
Avalanche’s Strong Comeback
The Avalanche, eager to rebound after an unexpected 7-3 defeat to the Nashville Predators that marked their first home regulation loss of the season, received additional goals from Parker Kelly, Victor Olofsson, and Artturi Lehkonen.
Scott Wedgewood stood tall in goal for Colorado, making 22 crucial saves, particularly in the final period while the team added two late goals to secure their win. In contrast, the Capitals tallied goals from Jakob Chychrun and Ethen Frank during their opening match of a six-game road trip. Notably, Alex Ovechkin provided an assist that brought him closer to tying Wayne Gretzky for the fifth-most points ever recorded by a player with the same franchise, now sitting at 1,665 points.
Key Moments and Challenges
Charlie Lindgren defended the Capitals’ net and registered 38 saves. A pivotal moment came when Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had a third-period goal disallowed after a Washington challenge for goaltender interference, which was prompted by Martin Necas‘s actions in the crease.
The Avalanche encountered further injury woes as Valeri Nichushkin was ruled out due to an upper-body issue. They ended up converting just once on six power play opportunities throughout the game. The scoring began at 5:54 into the first period when Kelly secured a goal, assisted by Makar, who achieved his 40th assist of the season contributed by Alex Barré-Boulet, recently promoted from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Capitals will face off against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, while the Avalanche are set to host the Anaheim Ducks on the same night.
AP NHL
