DENVER — In a thrilling home opener, Mackenzie Blackwood showcased his skills as he turned away 38 shots in his debut with Colorado, leading the Avalanche to a 5-2 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
Nathan MacKinnon shone with a productive night, netting two goals and contributing an assist, while Artturi Lehkonen added two goals of his own and Ross Colton rounded out the scoring with one goal.
On the Predators’ side, Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista each tallied a goal, whereas Juuse Saros, the Nashville goaltender, recorded 29 saves.
Blackwood’s acquisition from San Jose made waves earlier in the week, and he certainly impressed the home crowd by keeping Nashville at bay for much of the game. He stopped every shot thrown at him until Stamkos broke through with 6:57 left in the third period.
With just 4:52 remaining, Evangelista narrowed the gap to one goal following a delayed penalty call. However, MacKinnon and Lehkonen sealed the win with empty-net goals in the final minutes, putting the game out of reach for Nashville.
On the injury front for the Predators, defenseman Roman Josi sat out for the second consecutive game due to a lower-body injury.
Looking at the performance of the Predators, their top line remained active and engaged, managing to generate chances despite Stamkos being their only scorer until late in the game. Forsberg and Stamkos each registered five shots on goal, while Jonathan Marchessault contributed three.
For the Avalanche, MacKinnon appears to be hitting his stride after a quiet patch. He managed just one goal during the last half of November but has bounced back in December with five goals, including goals in three consecutive games. Notably, he has moved to third on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with a total of 948 points, surpassing Michel Goulet.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred midway through the second period when Stamkos broke away from Colorado’s defense for a clear shot on goal, only for Blackwood to deny him with a crucial save. This moment proved critical, as less than three minutes later, Colton found the net, putting Colorado ahead.
As for noteworthy stats, MacKinnon currently leads the NHL in points this season, with a total of 50.
Looking ahead, the Predators will face the New York Rangers on Tuesday, kicking off a four-game homestand, while the Avalanche will head to Vancouver on Monday to begin a three-game road trip.
