MacKinnon’s season-opening home streak (27 goals, 46 assists) tied Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers, 1985-86) for the second-longest in NHL history. Gretzky owns the NHL record for the longest at 40 games (Los Angeles Kings, 1988-89).
Mikko Rantanen had two goals and an assist, and Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (45-20-5), who are 9-1-0 in their past 10 games. Jonathan Drouin had two assists, and Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves.
Elvis Merzlikins made 44 saves for the Blue Jackets (23-35-12), who have lost four of their past five games (1-2-2), including three in a row.
Damon Severson scored to make it 1-0 Columbus. He fanned on a one-timer off a Johnny Gaudreau cross-crease pass but enough of it for the puck to trickle in at 4:28 of the first period.
Makar tied it 1-1 with a wrist shot from low in the right circle that went far side past the blocker at 11:00.
Ross Colton extended the lead to 2-1 at 5:43 of the second period when he knocked in the loose puck from Zach Parise’s initial shot after it trickled through Merzlikins and into the blue paint.
Rantanen made it 3-1 when he redirected Josh Manson’s shot from inside the blue line down and through the five-hole at 7:07.
MacKinnon scored to make it 4-1 at 6:01 of the third period. Makar broke up a play in his own zone and sent MacKinnon a pass at the far blue line for a breakaway, which he finished from the right face-off circle.
Rantanen made it 5-1 with a power-play goal at 7:14, one-timing a crossing pass from MacKinnon past the glove.
Nichushkin made it 6-1 with a wrist shot from below the right circle at 13:38.
