DENVER – Nathan MacKinnon’s remarkable four-goal performance propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Ball Arena on Thursday. MacKinnon’s heroics extended his point streak to 17 games, matching the season’s longest streak by William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
MacKinnon’s 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) during this streak underscore his vital role in the Avalanche’s offense. “I was just in the right place at the right time,” MacKinnon said. “It’s about finding opportunities and capitalizing on them.”
Mikko Rantanen scored twice, and Valeri Nichushkin provided three assists for the Avalanche (20-11-2), who were efficient on the power play, going 4-for-5. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev’s 41 saves were crucial in a game where both teams showed offensive prowess.
Colorado coach Jared Bednar acknowledged the game’s challenges, especially in the second period. “Our defense struggled at times, but our offense stepped up when needed,” Bednar said.
The Senators (11-17-0), under coach Jacques Martin, saw contributions from Drake Batherson and David Savard, each with a goal and an assist. Joonas Korpisalo’s 33 saves were not enough to fend off the Avalanche’s offensive surge.
Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk expressed his frustration, emphasizing the need for leadership and improvement. “We have to be better, starting with myself,” Tkachuk said.
The game saw the Senators rallying in the third period, with Josh Norris and Ridly Greig scoring early goals. Jacob Bernard-Docker and Batherson’s goals in the second period briefly put Ottawa ahead.
However, the Avalanche’s relentless attack, led by MacKinnon, turned the tide. Rantanen’s power-play goal late in the second period ignited the comeback. MacKinnon’s third-period hat-trick and empty-net goal sealed the win for Colorado.
Coach Martin remained optimistic despite the loss. “We’re making progress and showed better effort than our last game,” Martin said.
Notable milestones were achieved in the game. MacKinnon became the first player from the 2013 NHL Draft to reach 300 goals and the first in Avalanche history to score four goals in a game. Cale Makar, with two assists, emulated Paul Coffey’s 1991-92 feat of having at least 31 assists within the first 28 games of a season.
The Avalanche’s Devon Toews contributed defensively with six blocked shots and an assist. Despite Ottawa’s efforts on the power play, they were only able to convert once out of six attempts.
For the Senators, Tkachuk’s nine shots on goal demonstrated his commitment, and forward Jiri Smejkal earned his first NHL point.
MacKinnon’s exceptional performance not only led to a thrilling Avalanche victory but also placed him among the elite scorers in the league. As the NHL season continues, both the Avalanche and the Senators will look to build on the lessons from this high-scoring affair.
