Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals to become the first player in the NHL with 40, Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 27 shots and the visiting Colorado Avalanche beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-0 on Saturday.
MacKinnon added an assist, while Blackwood delivered his third shutout of the season and the 16th of his career. It was the sixth time this season Colorado has held a team scoreless.
Ross Colton, Brent Burns and Parker Kelly also scored goals and Artturi Lehkonen had two assists for the Avalanche, who ended a two-game losing skid and finished 2-2 on their four-game road trip.
The teams complete the season series Monday night in Colorado.
John Gibson made 13 saves for Detroit before being replaced by Cam Talbot after two periods. Talbot stopped three shots for the Red Wings.
The Avalanche scored 6:44 into the game when MacKinnon fed Burns as he skated into Detroit’s zone and beat Gibson high to the short side. It was his ninth of the season and the 270th of his career, tying him with Bobby Orr for seventh all-time among defensemen.
MacKinnon made it 2-0 midway through the first when he stickhandled at the top of the zone and sent a floater through traffic and by Gibson. Colton scored his second goal in as many games 1:24 into the second period when he buried Brock Nelson’s centering pass.
MacKinnon scored again at 13:33 of the second on a one-timer from Lehkonen to reach 40 goals for the fourth time in his career. In addition to leading the league in goals, MacKinnon is second in points with 91.
MacKinnon nearly had a hat trick in the final minute of the second period but shot it wide.
Blackwood made it hold up with a few big saves. His best one came at 6:43 of the third when James van Riemsdyk had the puck alone in the slot but Blackwood made a glove save to keep the Red Wings off the board.
Kelly extended his career-high with his 12th goal of the season and fourth in the last seventh game at 7:35 of the third period.
–Field Level Media
