DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche continued their impressive run with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on Sunday, thanks to Valeri Nichushkin’s decisive late goal. Nichushkin, who also provided an assist, was instrumental in breaking the deadlock with just 3:29 left in the third period.
The win extends the Avalanche’s strong form, now standing at 4-0-1 in their past five games, and sees their season record improve to 23-11-2. “We were still working hard in the third period, and we get a good chance and we score,” Nichushkin reflected on the team’s persistent effort.
Mikko Rantanen and Josh Manson also found the net for Colorado, while goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s 10 saves were crucial in securing the win. Nathan MacKinnon’s playmaking was on full display, as he extended his season-opening home point streak to 19 games with two assists in the match.
Colorado coach Jared Bednar acknowledged the challenging nature of the games against the Sharks this season, emphasizing the importance of staying committed to their game plan.
San Jose, despite a valiant defensive effort, could not avoid their eighth consecutive loss, dropping to 9-25-3. Tomas Hertl provided the lone goal for the Sharks, while goalie Kaapo Kahkonen made 30 saves. Coach David Quinn praised the team’s defensive structure and physicality but lamented the lack of puck control.
Rantanen opened the scoring for the Avalanche with a power-play goal in the first period, followed by Hertl’s equalizer for the Sharks in the second. However, Nichushkin’s go-ahead goal and Manson’s empty-netter sealed the deal for Colorado.
San Jose’s ongoing struggles were evident as they have been outscored 36-11 during their losing streak. Despite this, Kahkonen saw some positives, noting, “I think it was a step forward in a lot of areas.”
Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to the lineup after a 20-game absence, contributing positively in his 16:18 of ice time. Bednar commented on Girard’s steady presence, highlighting his versatility in playing various roles for the team.
Notably, MacKinnon’s home point streak is now the second-longest in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history, only trailing Joe Sakic’s 23-game streak in 2000-01. His performance in December also set a new franchise record for points in a calendar month.
For the Sharks, defenseman Mario Ferraro suffered an upper-body injury early in the game, and Tomas Hertl marked his 700th NHL game milestone.
As the Avalanche look to maintain their momentum, the Sharks face the challenge of breaking their losing streak and rediscovering their form.
