There were some exaggerated exhales Saturday afternoon at Ball Arena.
Gavin Brindley and Cale Makar both snapped goal-scoring droughts and the Avs grinded out a 3-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Makar scored twice, including one into an empty net, and Nathan MacKinnon had a pair of assists to help Colorado win for the second time in three games since a three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sam Malinski’s second try from the top of the offensive zone created a rebound near the left post, and Brindley was there to pounce on it at 7:31 of the third period. It was Brindley’s sixth goal of the season, but his first since Dec. 11.
Brindley, acquired in an offseason trade from Columbus, had a fast start to his rookie season with Colorado, but had just two assists in his past 25 games before the go-ahead goal.
The Avs had three power-play chances in the second period, and part of a fourth that carried over from the opening period. It was more than six minutes with the man advantage, but Chicago has the top-ranked penalty kill and Colorado remains last on the power play.
The home side did not score with the extra man in the period, but Makar’s goal with 8.3 seconds remaining in the middle frame was spiritually a tally for the top power-play unit. Oliver Moore came out of the box seven seconds before the goal, but the rest of the Blackhawks on the ice were gassed from a lengthy PK shift, and the Avs took full advantage.
MacKinnon sent the puck from near the goal line to the left of the Chicago net to Makar in the right circle. He didn’t get close to max power on his one-timer, but placed it well and goaltender Spencer Knight was moving the wrong direction as the puck fluttered past him.
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Connor Bedard put Chicago on the board first with a power-play goal. Tyler Bertuzzi got behind Devon Toews on a rush, so the Avs defenseman took a penalty to prevent a scoring chance.
It only took 21 seconds for the Blackhawks to capitalize. Bertuzzi sent a cross-ice pass to Bedard in the right circle, and the lethal release that helped make him the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft led to his 25th goal of the season. Colorado’s penalty kill reached the Olympic break ranked No. 2 in the league, but Utah, Minnesota and Chicago have combined to score four times with the man advantage in the past three contests.
Colorado held a 14-4 advantage in shots on goal through 20 minutes, but the Avs didn’t create many great chances in the period, either. Similar to two days prior against the Wild, the Avs found some mid-range scoring chances, but not a lot close to the net or plays where Knight had to be great to keep the puck out.
Makar’s empty-netter sealed the win for Colorado. After a 31-2-7 start, the Avs have struggled. This win got them back to “hockey .500” since the historic start at 8-8-2 in the past 18 contests.
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