Makar, MacKinnon each score twice as Avs beat Red Wings 6-3
DENVER (AP) — Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon each scored twice as the Colorado Avalanche notched their ninth straight win over Detroit by beating the Red Wings 6-3 on Monday.
Artturi Lehkonen and J.T. Compher also scored for the Avalanche, who followed up a 7-0 win over Ottawa on Saturday with another scoring spree. There were eight different Colorado players with at least a point, including two assists from Evan Rodrigues and Devon Toews. MacKinnon also had two assists for a four-point day.
Trailing 5-0 late in the second period, Andrew Copp scored for Detroit to spoil Pavel Francouz’s bid for a second straight shutout. Ben Chiarot and Moritz Seider added goals in the third.
Francouz followed up his 29-save shutout against the Senators with another solid performance by stopping 26 shots.
There was a little bit of luck along the way. Jonatan Berggren clanged a wrist shot off the bar that hit Francouz in the mask and veered wide of the net.
Ville Husso allowed five goals on 22 shots before being replaced by Magnus Hellberg for the third period.
Lehkonen started the scoring early in the first period on a goal set up by Makar, who reached the 30-assist mark for the season.
Makar made it 2-0 with a power-play goal late in the first. Valeri Nichushkin had an assist as he returned to the ice after missing nine games. Nichushkin has struggled to get his foot to feel comfortable inside his skate due to scar tissue following ankle surgery.
12-0 RUN
Colorado’s string of 12 consecutive goals was snapped by Copp. It’s the third time in team history they’ve notched 12 or more straight goals. Colorado accomplished the feat from Oct. 19-22, 1983, (16) and March 18-22, 2021, (12), according to NHL Stats.
MAKAR’S MARK
Makar’s three-point day marked his 57th career multipoint game. He’s tied with Tyson Barrie for second on the franchise’s all-time list among defensemen (Sandis Ozolinsh leads with 63).
AROUND THE RINK
Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson played in his 899th career NHL game. … Forward Darren Helm reaggravated a lower-body injured that’s limited him to five games this season. There’s a concern his season could be in jeopardy. “We have to get more information still,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. … Red Wings forward David Perron had an assist for his first point since Dec. 28.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: At Arizona on Tuesday.
Avalanche: Start a three-game trip Wednesday in Calgary.
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