MacKinnon Scores Twice, Fights in Avalanche's 8-4 Season-Opening Win Against Kings

Winning Wednesday

Nathan MacKinnon's two goals and a fight with Brandt Clarke led the Avalanche in its 8-4 season-opening defeat of the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena on Wednesday. Colorado's eight goals on Wednesday set a franchise record for tallies in a season opener. Additionally, Artturi Lehkonen added a pair of power-play tallies, Brock Nelson scored a goal and two assists, while Parker Kelly and Nicolas Roy each lit the lamp. Overall, 13 Avs recorded a point, including eight players who posted multi-point games.

Colorado's special teams also played a major role in the win, with the power play going 4/5 and the penalty kill posting a perfect 4/4 mark. 

With his fight, MacKinnon became the sixth player in Avalanche team history to record two goals and a fight in the same game since the club moved to Colorado.

“It happens," MacKinnon said about his fight. "It’s an intense game. He didn’t say a great word to me, so I didn’t like the word and we fought.”

MacKinnon said he initiated the fight with Clarke.

“He plays hard," MacKinnon said about Clarke. "He gets under guys’ skin. He’s a really good defenseman. But, sometimes when you play like that, you have to fight sometimes. He’s a good player though. He plays hard."

How It Happened

In the opening 3:49 of play, Roy and MacKinnon each had scoring chances off the rush, marking two of Colorado's first three shots on goal. 

Nelson opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period with a power-play goal via a shot from above the left goal line. With the primary assist on the play, Jaden Schwartz registered his first point as an Av.

Colorado's first penalty kill of the season, from 10:21 to 12:21 of the opening frame, was a successful one, highlighted by a pair of saves by Avs goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. 

At 14:33 of the first, Blackwood kept the Avs ahead when he stopped Alex Turcotte's breakaway chance.

The Kings tied the game at 15:14 of the first period when Brian Dumoulin scored via a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.

Just three seconds after another successful Colorado penalty kill, Kelly gave the Avs a 2-1 lead at 17:58 of the first period via a right-circle shot off the rush.

At 18:19 of the first, Blackwood made a huge save on Trevor Moore's chance from the doorstep off the rush to keep the Avs ahead.

Colorado doubled its lead at 23 seconds of the middle frame with a five-on-three power-play goal from Nathan MacKinnon via a left-circle one-timer set up by Nazem Kadri's feed.

Los Angeles' Joel Armia made it a 3-2 game with a shorthanded goal at 1:28 of the second period via a shot from the high slot.

At 8:33 of the middle frame, MacKinnon gave Colorado a 4-2 lead when he scored his second goal of the night via a left-circle wrist shot off the rush immediately after receiving Martin Necas' backhand drop pass.

Blackwood made another key save for the Avalanche at 9:42 of the middle frame when he denied Armia's partial breakaway chance.

The Avs took a 5-2 lead at 16:01 of the middle frame when Roy scored via a shot from the doorstep amid net-front chaos.

At 17:50 of the second period, Moore scored for the Kings to make it a 5-3 game with a shorthanded tally via a right-circle shot off the rush.

Colorado answered and took a 6-3 lead when Lehkonen scored a power-play goal at 18:34 of the second period via a one-timer from the slot set up by Nelson's feed.

During a delayed penalty, Artemi Panarin scored for Los Angeles to make it 6-4 at 11:51 of the third period with a shot from the top of the slot.

At 13:20 of the third period, MacKinnon fought Clarke, and became the second player this century to post two goals and a fighting major in their first game of a season.

Landeskog gave the Avs a 7-4 lead at 14:03 of the third period with a backhand shot from the left goal line after the puck careened off the end boards.

Colorado took an 8-4 lead at 15:06 of the third period when Lehkonen scored his second power-play goal of the game via a shot from the low slot.

Next Up

The Avalanche hosts the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at 7 p.m. MDT on Altitude, Altitude+, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM and the Altitude Sports Radio App.