The Colorado Avalanche are crazy skilled. They’ve scored 84 more goals than the opposition at 5-on-5; when they scored first against the Seattle Kraken Thursday, it marked the 41st time in 64 games they’ve broken the ice. They’ve lost just 11 times in regulation over those 64 games.
By the end of the 1st period at Climate Pledge Arena, the Avs steamroller had flattened the Kraken for three goals. Superstar Nathan MacKinnon had a hand in all three; one goal, raising his league-leading goal total to 44, and two assists.
A third assist in the 2nd period lifted his point total to 108, 2nd only to Connor McDavid.
Heard enough? The league-leading Avs rolled to a 5-1 victory, sending Seattle to their fourth consecutive defeat. The playoff spot the Kraken have been clinging to since the Olympic break? That’s gone, with Seattle losing for the sixth time in eight games post-break.
1st Period
Whither Bobby McMann?
The hottest player since the Olympic break stays hot at the Kraken’s expense. Martin Necas notches his 30th goal of the season, utilizing quick hands from in close. Nathan MacKinnon gets one of the assists, his eye-popping 62nd.
Ryan Winterton has a gaping net on the rebound of an Adam Larsson shot, but he fires wide of Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood.
Don’t know what to make of this (if anything), but both goalies have lost their masks within the first 11 minutes. Jacob Melanson gets his hit parade started by crunching Gavin Brindley into the end boards.
Here’s how good MacKinnon is: he even scores when he doesn’t mean to. MacKinnon’s centering pass is meant for Nazem Kadri, but deflects off the skate of defender Adam Larsson and past Daccord. MacKinnon’s 44th puts Colorado up 2-0 at 12:54.
Necas’ eventful period, which already includes a goal and an assist, takes a painful turn at 18:11. He’s clipped by Jordan Eberle’s stick, which draws blood. Eberle will serve a double minor, while Necas heads down the tunnel for repairs.
Even when the Avs whiff, they score. Brock Nelson mostly fans on his shot, but the puck finds its way to Nic Roy for the slam dunk power play goal at 18:48.
2nd Period
Let’s see if we can find any distractions in the stands. Hey, here’s one! This might be one of Squatch’s relatives they don’t talk about, but his sentiments are good.
Looking through the stands, there’s a lot of Avs fans. So many, in fact, that some are wearing Quebec Nordiques sweaters. The franchise started life as the Nordiques in the World Hockey Association in 1972, joining the NHL in 1979.
Kraken coach Lane Lambert puts former Av Philipp Grubauer between the pipes to start the period. The suspicion is that the change is more to energize his skaters rather than commentary on the play of Daccord, who had little chance on the Colorado goals.
Scott Wedgewood denies Ben Meyers on a breakaway. As Necas (who’s back, by the way) skates the puck up ice, Melanson misses the check and bumps Meyers instead. He will not get credit for a hit.
Here’s a sentence that wasn’t on too many Kraken fans’ bingo cards: Chandler Stephenson finding the trailer Ryker Evans while Seattle was shorthanded. Evans rips a shot top corner to break the shutout at 13:36.
Colorado, which had clearly taken its collective feet off the gas – only two shots in the period – scores to regain a three-goal cushion on shot number three at 17:11. Kadri, starting his second tour of duty with the Avs, redirects Sam Malinski’s shot. Does it need to be said? MacKinnon draws the second assist.
3rd Period
Colorado goalie Wedgewood, who gets lost in all the offensive fireworks, has been stellar. He frustrates Eberle on a breakaway, giving the captain no opening to shoot at. If the Eberle save was outstanding, Wedgewood’s next stop on Winterton walking out front all alone is ridiculous.
Upon further reflection, Wedgewood is #1 in both goals against average and save percentage. Too bad for the Kraken, because since the start of the 2nd period, shots are 18-4 Seattle.
News flash: Colorado scores a goal without the help of MacKinnon. Joel Kiviranta adds a garbage time fifth goal at 12:41.
Up Next
The Kraken play Saturday against the Canucks in Vancouver.