The Colorado Avalanche have been so dominant this season, losing only twice in regulation, that coach Jared Bednar was able to pencil in the same No. 1 line in each of the team’s first 31 games.
That is, until Saturday night.
With Martin Necas coming off an illness, Bednar moved rookie Gavin Brindley to the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen.
The Avalanche didn’t miss a beat, defeating Nashville 4-2 to extend their point streak to five games (4-0-1) as MacKinnon had a goal and an assist.
Colorado will look to extend that run Tuesday in Seattle.
“Awesome,” Brindley said of his chance to start alongside MacKinnon. “Playing with the best, if not one of the best players in the world. Pretty damn cool. I never thought that would come to fruition. Yeah, really cool.”
MacKinnon, who leads the NHL with 26 goals and 55 points, said switching up the lines provides the Avalanche with more flexibility.
“It’s definitely a bonus,” MacKinnon said. “We might need different combos eventually. I think it’s good to switch things up sometimes. I thought all four lines played pretty good (Saturday night).”
As for Brindley’s performance?
“He’s solid,” MacKinnon said of the 21-year-old. “He’s a good forechecker. He’s definitely a water bug out there.”
In addition, Jack Drury moved down to the fourth line and responded with one of the goals against Nashville. Victor Olofsson and Valeri Nichushkin also tallied, Samuel Girard had two assists and goaltender Scott Wedgewood made 27 saves.
“It’s easy. It’s part of being a pro,” Drury said. “I’ve said this before, but there are so many good players (here), it doesn’t really matter who you are going out with. Any forward you go out with is going to be able to make plays and be smart. It’s easy.”
The Kraken have lost eight of their past nine games (1-7-1), including a 3-1 defeat Sunday against visiting Buffalo.
“Right now, we have to play the perfect game to give ourselves a chance to win. There (are) mistakes here and there that are reaching up and biting us,” said Kraken coach Lane Lambert, referring to odd-man rushes that lead to each of the Sabres’ first two goals (the third was an empty-netter).
Kraken forward Mason Marchment, who doubled his season total with two goals in a 5-3 loss Friday at Utah, missed Sunday’s game with an illness as the flu has been making its way through the locker room.
The Kraken called up 22-year-old forward Jacob Melanson from Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League to fill in, and he made an immediate impression.
“He’s a hardworking guy. Character guy,” Kraken center Shane Wright said of Melanson. “A win-at-all-costs kind of guy. He’s going to stand up for you, and he’s going to go to battle for you. Great guy to have around.”
Chandler Stephenson scored the lone goal for Seattle, which has just 17 total over its past nine games.
“It’s a hard league,” Stephenson said. “It’s hard to stay positive when things are going this way, but I think that’s kind of the M.O. right now, is that (wins are) going to come.”
–Field Level Media
