Nathan MacKinnon had two goals, Josh Manson also scored and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Denver on Saturday night.
Martin Necas added an empty-net goal, Artturi Lehkonen contributed two assists and Scott Wedgewood needed just 13 saves to secure the win for Colorado, which scored on its first two shots of the night.
The Avalanche have started the season on a six-game point streak.
John Beecher scored and Jeremy Swayman turned away 34 shots for Boston. The Bruins have dropped their last three games after beginning the season 3-0.
Boston also tallied a goal on its first shot of the night, going ahead 3:11 into the game. Charlie McAvoy had the puck above the right circle and sent a pass down through the slot to Beecher on the left, and he redirected the puck into the open net for his first goal of the season.
Colorado evened it later in the period when Lehkonen fed MacKinnon along the Bruins blueline, he skated in alone and deked Swayman before floating a backhander into the net at 7:08 of the first.
Manson gave the Avalanche the lead midway through the opening period. Gabriel Landeskog won an offensive zone faceoff to Brent Burns at the point and Burns passed it over to Manson, whose one-timer made it 2-1 at 10:22.
It was Manson’s first goal of the season.
Colorado dominated the second period, outshooting Boston 16-2, but couldn’t capitalize on three power-play opportunities. However, they did extend the lead early in the third.
Lehkonen had the puck below the goal and passed it to MacKinnon as he skated into the right circle. MacKinnon used a screen on a shot that went off Swayman’s right shoulder and in at 4:14.
It was MacKinnon’s sixth goal of the season.
Beecher nearly answered later in the period when he wristed a rebound right in front of the net, but Wedgewood robbed him with a glove save to keep it a two-goal game.
Swayman came off for an extra skater with 2:50 left and Necas scored his fourth goal of the season at 17:23.
–Field Level Media
