Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin scored power-play goals 2:28 apart early in a five-goal third period, and the Colorado Avalanche rallied to beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-2 in Game 3 of their first-round series in Denver on Friday night.
Colorado took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference quarterfinal series, with Game 4 in Denver on Sunday afternoon.
Winnipeg led 2-1 entering the third period but two quick penalties turned the momentum. Mason Appleton went off for tripping 1:14 into the frame and MacKinnon tied it with his second goal of the series at 2:11.
Moments later, Gabe Vilardi was given a double-minor for a high stick on Devon Toews, who briefly left to get stitches. Nichushkin capitalized 2:04 into the power play with his third goal of the series.
Toews had a goal and an assist, Ross Colton, Zach Parise and Artturi Lehkonen also scored, Casey Mittelstadt had three assists and Alexandar Georgiev turned away 22 shots for the Avalanche.
Mikko Rantanen had two assists and Sam Girard had an assist in his return to the lineup after missing four games while in concussion protocol.
Josh Morrissey and Tyler Toffoli scored and Connor Hellebuyck had 34 saves for the Jets.
Down 3-2, Winnipeg pressed for the equalizer but it led to an odd-man rush for the Avalanche and Lehkonen’s goal at 8:11, his third of the playoffs. Colton extended the lead with his first goal at 12:35.
The Jets went on the power play late and pulled Hellebuyck for a 6-on-4 advantage but Toews scored into the empty net at 16:25.
Parise gave Colorado the early lead when he put a rebound through Hellebuyck’s pads at 11:18 of the first, his second of the series.
Toffoli tied it with a sharp-angle backhander off of Georgiev’s back and in at 5:03 of the second. It was his first of the playoffs.
Winnipeg took advantage of the first power-play chance of the game when Morrissey’s shot from the point went through traffic and by Georgiev at 10:50, his first of the postseason.
–Field Level Media
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