ST. PAUL, Minn. — Add league’s best streak buster to the growing list of platitudes for this Colorado Avalanche team.
For the third time this season, the Avs have faced a team riding at least a seven-game winning streak. For the third time, they ended it.
The Avs came to the Twin Cities and put at least a temporary halt to the Minnesota Wild’s surge with a dominant 5-1 victory on Sunday at Grand Casino Arena.
Cale Makar, facing fellow all-world defenseman Quinn Hughes for the first time since he arrived in Minnesota via a blockbuster trade, had a goal, two assists and controlled the game at both ends of the ice. Brock Nelson, a Warrod, Minn., native, had a goal and two assists, Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and the Avs power play had one of its best days of the season in the win.
The Wild, which had won seven straight — including four with Hughes in the lineup after a Dec. 12 trade with Vancouver, did play Saturday afternoon here in St. Paul against the Edmonton Oilers. And the Avalanche looked like a team prepared to take advantage of that, particularly after losing 3-2 here on Nov. 28 in a shootout.
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Martin Necas gave Colorado the lead with the lone goal of the opening period. Colorado's top line, which included captain Gabe Landeskog instead of Artturi Lehkonen, cycled the puck in offensive zone before Makar found Necas for a one-timer in the right circle at 18:28 of the period.
That was part of a strong push by the Avs in the final couple minutes of the first period, and it carried over to the second. Colorado had 34 shots on goals by the second intermission, and a three-goal advantage.
Both goals came on the power play. Nelson set up Nathan MacKinnon for a one-timer from the inside of the right circle at 13:37 of the second. MacKinnon added an empty-net tally as well. That gives him a league-leading 30 goals and 61 points this season.
MacKinnon is the first player to reach 60 points in 35 games for the franchise since it moved to Denver. It happened three times while the club was in Quebec City.
Gavin Brindley drew a pair of penalties on Marcus Foligno shortly after that, and the Avs were able to cash in on the second infraction. Makar scored from the top of the zone, with Landeskog and Necas providing a screen, at 18:33 of the second.
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The Avs had five shots on goal early in the third period and it looked as if they might put a crooked number on the Wild, but Ryan Hartman got Minnesota on the board at 5:15 of the final period with a rebound goal. It came after Minnesota had hit the iron behind Mackenzie Blackwood twice earlier in the shift.
Nelson ended any doubt with a one-timer at 15:53 of the third, scoring on the Avs' 40th shot of the game. It was Nelson's 14th goal of the season, and the three points gives him 35 points in 35 games.
Makar's three-point day helped him regain the outright lead for points by a defenseman. Columbus' Zach Werenski had pulled even with him at 40 coming into Sunday.
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