DETROIT — Valeri Nichushkin netted his third goal over the past two games, and Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 28 shots as the Colorado Avalanche secured a 2-1 victory against the struggling Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Cale Makar also contributed for Colorado, scoring on the power play. He currently leads all defensemen in the NHL with 35 points, comprised of nine goals and 26 assists, across 28 games played this season.

On the other side, Lucas Raymond added his eighth goal in the last nine games for the Red Wings, who have now faced five consecutive losses, all by just a single goal margin. Ville Husso recorded 23 saves in the match.

Insights: The game represented a significant recovery for Georgiev, the Avalanche’s primary goaltender. He had been replaced in his last outing against Buffalo after allowing four goals in under a dozen minutes of play.

For the Red Wings, offensive struggles continued despite facing several teams with shaky defensive records recently. The Avalanche had been allowing a total of 27 goals in their last six games before this contest, where they managed to emerge victorious.

Turning Point: Although the Avalanche had only one opportunity on the power play during the game, Makar made it count. He unleashed a powerful shot from the point that evaded a screen from Husso early in the second period, placing the Red Wings in a two-goal deficit that they were unable to overcome for the remainder of the match.

Noteworthy Stat: Makar, who recorded his first career hat trick against the Red Wings in March, boasts an impressive 17 points in just eight games played against Detroit throughout his career.

Looking Ahead: The Avalanche are set to visit New Jersey for a matchup on Sunday, while the Red Wings will be facing off against Buffalo on Monday.