ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Colorado Avalanche demonstrated their prowess on special teams, securing a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday evening. Cale Makar contributed significantly with a power-play goal and an assist, while Parker Kelly netted a short-handed goal for the Avalanche.

Nathan MacKinnon shone brightly, scoring an empty-net goal along with two assists, and Valeri Nichushkin added another goal to the scoreboard. Colorado continued its momentum from the previous night’s game, where they also capitalized on power plays to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Goalie Scott Wedgewood played a crucial role in the win, making 29 saves throughout the match.

In the second period, Kelly tied the game at 1 by executing a 2-on-1 short-handed rush, giving his team a morale boost. Nichushkin then managed to push Colorado ahead with a goal midway through the period. Early in the third, Makar extended the lead to 3-1 with a precise wrist shot, marking his fifth power-play goal this season and bringing his total points on the man advantage to 18.

Anaheim’s efforts were highlighted by Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn, who both found the back of the net. Even with John Gibson making 19 saves, including stopping a penalty shot taken by Samuel Girard late in the third period, the Ducks faced their fifth defeat in six games.

Some key takeaways from the match include the Avalanche’s successful reconfiguration of their goaltending strategy, which has resulted in winning six of their last nine games with either Wedgewood or Mackenzie Blackwood as the starting goalie. For the Ducks, Jacob Trouba marked his first point since his trade from the New York Rangers on December 6, when Carlsson redirected his shot early in the second.

One of the pivotal moments in the game occurred when Makar’s shot proved too powerful to handle, as he took advantage of the Ducks’ overcommitment on the penalty kill just 3:30 into the third period.

Additionally, a notable statistic from the match was MacKinnon reaching a milestone by becoming the first player in the NHL this season to surpass 40 assists. He provided the secondary assist on Nichushkin’s goal and the primary assist on Makar’s shot.

Looking ahead, the Avalanche are set to host the Seattle Kraken, while the Ducks will make their way to Utah for their next matchup on Sunday.