DENVER – Cale Makar delivered an exceptional performance for the Colorado Avalanche, scoring twice and providing four assists. His six-point game marked a historic first for a defenseman in the team’s history. Nathan MacKinnon also shone brightly, contributing two goals and three assists in the Avalanche’s dominant 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. MacKinnon now finds himself just three points shy of joining the elite company of Joe Sakic and Peter Stastny as the only players in franchise history with 1,000 points.
The Avalanche, currently thriving on a perfect record during their six-game homestand, received additional scoring from Jonathan Drouin, Joel Kiviranta, and Martin Necas. Their triumph extended their winning streak against the Sharks to twelve games, as they once again outperformed former Colorado goaltender, Alexandar Georgiev.
In a notable mid-game development, Colorado bolstered their offensive lineup by acquiring forward Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders.
The Sharks, looking to conclude their seven-game road trip, saw goals from Fabian Zetterlund, Macklin Celebrini, and William Eklund, ending their journey with a record of 2-3-2. Earlier in the day, San Jose completed a trade, sending forward Nico Sturm to the Florida Panthers.
This match also marked a reunion with former goaltenders, as Mackenzie Blackwood, now with Colorado, and Georgiev, with San Jose, faced off following a trade on December 9. Blackwood successfully stopped 31 attempts, while Georgiev made 25 saves.
An unfortunate incident occurred late in the game, as official Kilian McNamara was forced to leave the ice due to a puck striking him in the head.
Key insights from the game include San Jose’s continued struggle against the Avalanche, having not defeated them since May 5, 2021. The Avalanche saw forward Jimmy Vesey debut, having been recently acquired from the New York Rangers.
A pivotal moment was Kiviranta’s shorthanded goal just 4:19 into the game, which initiated a scoring surge. Cale Makar’s 39th career power-play goal tied him with Sandis Ozolinsh for the most by an Avalanche/Nordiques defenseman.
Looking ahead, both teams return to action on Saturday. Colorado will host the Toronto Maple Leafs, while San Jose will play at home against the New York Islanders.
