The Colorado Avalanche celebrated a historic milestone with a six pack.
Nathan MacKinnon grew to become the one centesimal participant in NHL historical past to reach 1,000 career points, and the Avalanche completed off an ideal six-game homestand with a 3-0 victory Monday night time towards the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Wedgewood was sensible in web, making 21 saves for his second shutout of the season.
It took some time, thanks partly to a aim being overturned, however MacKinnon hit 1,000 on his first shift of the third interval. He left the puck for a Devon Toews shot on the proper level, and Artturi Lehkonen deflected it previous Chicago goalie Spencer Knight at 31 seconds of the interval.
“It’s cool,” MacKinnon mentioned. “It’s numerous enjoyable to perform one thing with buddies and teammates. Yeah, I don’t know. It’s a (huge) quantity. It’s a cool milestone, for positive.
“It’s an extended highway. A variety of ups and downs, however undoubtedly a cool second.”
That gave the Avs a 1-0 lead. They doubled the benefit when MacKinnon arrange Martin Necas on his subsequent shift for level No. 1,001.
The aim, at 3:27, was No. 22 on the season for Necas and MacKinnon’s seventy fifth help. A two-point night time for MacKinnon gave him a league-leading 102, 5 greater than Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl.
This was the primary recreation for Erik Johnson since he returned to the Avalanche in a commerce simply earlier than the deadline Friday. The Ball Area patrons gave him a loud ovation when he took the ice for his first shift.
“It’s simply superb to be again,” Johnson mentioned. “I don’t take a day as a right right here. Love being an Av, love taking part in in Denver and taking part in in entrance of those followers.
“It was tremendous particular and funky to be right here for Nate’s 1,000th. I bear in mind his first level in Oct. 2013.”
After they weren’t cheering for Johnson or eagerly anticipating MacKinnon making historical past, Avs followers have been chanting “Wedgie.” Colorado’s backup netminder placed on a present with a number of excellent saves.
That included among the finest saves of the NHL season. The Blackhawks had a 2-on-1 that Johnson broke up with a sliding stick swipe, however Connor Bedard collected the puck once more within the excessive slot. Colton Dach bumped into the goalie, knocking him over, however he was nonetheless capable of kick his left leg within the air and deflect Bedard’s shot into the corer.
He made a few robust saves to assist kill off an extended 5-on-3 within the center interval, after which Wedgewood made one other nice, sprawling save on Nick Foligo. This was Wedgewood’s second stellar begin in a row after he turned apart 32 of 33 pictures in a March 4 win towards Pittsburgh earlier on this homestand.
“He was improbable,” Avs coach Jared Bednar mentioned. “Popping out of the break right here, he’s been improbable. That’s what we want. We’ve obtained a goalie that may win each single night time for us. It offers you a greater alternative to win on nights like this if you’re not good with the puck.”
MacKinnon and the Avs thought he reached the 1,000-point milestone simply 7:31 into the opening interval. He arrange Necas on the proper publish for a aim, and all the crew poured off the bench to have a good time.
The Blackhawks challenged for offsides and the aim was taken off the board after a prolonged evaluation.
“We celebrated it twice, it was so good,” Bednar mentioned.
Added MacKinnon: “Proper when Marty scored, he thought it was offside. … I really considered that earlier than the sport, that that’s what would occur.”
MacKinnon is the third participant to attain 1,000 factors with the Avalanche, becoming a member of Joe Sakic and Peter Stastny. The following huge milestone on his horizon is monitoring down Sakic for essentially the most factors because the franchise moved to Denver. Sakic had 1,015 of his 1,641 profession factors after the crew got here to Colorado from Quebec Metropolis in 1995.
Joel Kiviranta scored into an empty web within the remaining minute. It was Colorado’s twenty fourth empty-net aim of the season, which ties the NHL document shared by Winnipeg final season and Dallas in 2015-16.
The Avs are actually 4 factors forward of the Minnesota Wild for third place within the Central Division. They are going to be within the Twin Cities on Tuesday night time to face the Wild.
“Productive,” Bednar mentioned when requested concerning the 6-0 homestand. “We performed fairly good hockey. There was that one recreation in there, Pittsburgh, that I didn’t love, however I like the best way we responded.
“I’m liking what I’m seeing from our group. We had a bit of little bit of every little thing within the recreation tonight, even thought it was fairly sloppy.”
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