DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist to reach 1,100 career points and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Monday.
Parker Kelly, Victor Olofsson and Artturi Lehkonen also scored to help Colorado bounce back from a 7-3 loss to Nashville on Friday night — the Avalanche’s first home regulation loss of the season.
MacKinnon joined Hall of Famer Joe Sakic as the only players in franchise history to reach 1,100 points. Scott Wedgewood made 22 saves, including several big ones in the third before Colorado scored two late goals.
Jakob Chychrun and Ethen Frank scored for the Capitals in the opener of a six-game trip. Alex Ovechkin added an assist to give him 1,665 points. He’s four away from tying Wayne Gretzky for the fifth-most in NHL history by a player with one franchise (Gretzky had 1,669 with Edmonton in the NHL, and another 104 with the Oilers in the WHA).
Charlie Lindgren stopped 38 shots.
Cale Makar scored in the third period but it was disallowed after Washington challenged for goaltender interference. While jostling in front of the net, Martin Necas , who had two assists, knocked the stick away from Charlie Lindgren.
In the first period, Wedgewood was called for a tripping penalty when he lost his stick after Anthony Beauvillier rushed past him while chasing a puck. Beauvillier then appeared to trip on Wedgewood’s stick behind the net.
The banged-up Avalanche lost another player when Valeri Nichushkin was ruled out with an upper-body injury. They finished 1 for 6 on the power play.
Kelly opened the scoring 5:54 into the game, with Makar setting up the play for his 40th assist. Alex Barré-Boulet, who was just called up from the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League, also had an assist.
Up next
Capitals: At Vancouver on Wednesday night.
Avalanche: Host Anaheim on Wednesday night.
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