Avalanche Open Season With 8-4 Victory Over Kings

MacKinnon Leads Colorado’s Offensive Explosion

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice during a four-goal second period and capped his spectacular night with a rare fight as the Colorado Avalanche opened the NHL season with an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

MacKinnon, who scored a career-high 53 goals last season, struck just 23 seconds into the second period on a 5-on-3 power play to give Colorado a 3-1 lead. He added his second goal at 8:33 of the period, extending the Avalanche advantage to 4-2 and helping ignite an offensive outburst that put the Kings on their heels.

Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, while Brock Nelson finished with a goal and two assists. Gabriel Landeskog also scored for Colorado, which converted four power-play opportunities despite allowing Los Angeles to score twice while shorthanded.

MacKinnon’s night took another unusual turn late in the third period. With Colorado leading 6-4, the 2024 MVP dropped the gloves with Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke. It was MacKinnon’s first fight in four years.

Bednar Gets Contract Extension Before Opener

Hours before puck drop, the Avalanche announced a four-year contract extension for coach Jared Bednar, ending speculation surrounding his future in Colorado. Bednar who guided the Avalanche to the 2022 Stanley Cup championship, entered the season in the final year of his previous contract.

Questions about his status increased after Colorado was swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final last spring. The new extension keeps Bednar behind the Colorado bench as the Avalanche begin another season with championship expectations.

Avalanche Pull Away in the Second Period

Colorado took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission after Nelson and Kelly scored for the Avalanche. Trevor Moore’s goal for Los Angeles kept the Kings within one before Joel Armia tied the game in the second period.

MacKinnon then restored Colorado’s lead on the 5-on-3 power play before adding another goal later in the period. The Avalanche continued to generate chances with the man advantage and entered the third period with control of the game.

Los Angeles made another push in the final period, with Brian Dumoulin scoring and Artemi Panarin adding a goal on a delayed penalty to keep the Kings within striking distance. Colorado, however, responded with a late surge. Landeskog scored less than a minute after MacKinnon’s fight, and Lehkonen added his second goal just 1:03 later to put the game away.

Blackwood Makes 26 Saves in Colorado Debut

Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for Colorado, helping the Avalanche withstand several stretches of pressure from the Kings. Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots for Los Angeles as the Kings struggled to contain Colorado’s attack, particularly on special teams.

The Avalanche finished with four power-play goals but also surrendered two short-handed goals, giving the season opener an unusual special-teams storyline. Colorado’s eight-goal performance provided an immediate statement offensively, with MacKinnon, Lehkonen and Nelson leading an attack that produced throughout the night.

Both Teams Play Again Saturday Night

The Kings will look to bounce back Saturday night when they visit the San Jose Sharks. The Avalanche will return home Saturday night to host the St. Louis Blues as they continue their opening-week schedule.