NHL scoring leader Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, Scott Wedgewood turned away 27 shots and the surging Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 in Denver on Saturday night.
Valeri Nichushkin, Jack Drury and Victor Olofsson also scored and Samuel Girard had two assists for Colorado, which has won 11 straight at home, where it remains unbeaten in regulation this season (13-0-2).
Tyson Jost and Jonathan Marchessault scored and Justus Annunen made 38 saves for Nashville, which had won four of its last five, including a shootout win over Colorado on Tuesday night. That game was a rare loss for the Avalanche, who have earned at least one point in 23 of their last 24 games and have just two regulation losses this season.
MacKinnon gave Colorado a 1-0 lead with his NHL-leading 26th goal of the season. He carried the puck to the top of the left circle and sent a quick wrister by Annunen at 1:26 of the first period.
It is the ninth time in 32 games the Avalanche have scored in the first 90 seconds and extended MacKinnon’s home goal streak to six games. He also leads the NHL this season with 53 points.
Drury made it 2-0 on a 4-on-4 when his shot from the slot was tipped by Roman Josi’s stick and the puck then deflected off Nicolas Hague’s left knee and in at 11:47.
Nashville answered when it went on the power play nine seconds later. Filip Forsberg sent the puck low to Ryan O’Reilly, he tapped it to Marchessault in the right circle, and his quick shot beat Wedgwood at 12:37 of the first period.
The Predators carried the play for the first half of the second period, including a great chance by Steven Stamkos, but Olofsson’s wrister from the slot during a delayed penalty gave Colorado a 3-1 lead at 9:57.
Annunen came off for an extra skater late in the third period and Nichushkin scored into the empty net at 16:26. Jost answered at 18:57.
–Field Level Media
