DENVER — In an impressive display on the ice, Nathan MacKinnon notched a goal and provided an assist as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Tuesday night. Jonathan Drouin and Martin Necas each contributed with two assists. Both Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon were instrumental, with Toews adding a goal and two assists while Cale Makar, Valeri Nichushkin, and Logan O’Connor also found the net for Colorado. This victory marks the Avalanche’s growth to an impressive 11-1-1 run in their last 13 games.
On the opposition, J.T. Compher, a former Colorado player from 2016 through 2023, managed to score for the Red Wings, with Austin Watson joining him on the scoresheet. MacKinnon, retaining his reputation as the NHL’s point leader, has maintained a streak by scoring points in each of his last 22 home games, creating a tie for the longest such streak this season across the league.
In the defensive zone, Mackenzie Blackwood stood out by denying 21 of Detroit’s 23 shots, reinforcing his team’s success. This home triumph extended Colorado’s winning streak at the Ball Arena to an overwhelming 10 games, marking the longest home victory run in the NHL this year and the second-longest in the franchise’s history. Since December 14, Colorado boasts a stellar home record of 17-2-2.
Takeaways from the game highlighted Colorado’s unstoppable momentum, seizing their 11th win in 13 clashes and boasting the highest points percentage of any NHL team since late February. On the contrary, the Red Wings have struggled to secure back-to-back wins in a month. Despite recent difficulties as the regular season winds down, Detroit is still in contention for a playoff spot, just three points shy of the Montreal Canadiens in the competition for the last Eastern Conference wild-card berth.
One defining moment came as the Avalanche recuperated from a 1-0 deficit within the game’s first six minutes, scoring twice in just six minutes to permanently take the lead. Another key statistic is the Avalanche extending their record against the Red Wings to 13-0-1 in the past 14 encounters, marking it as the fifth-longest point streak against a single opponent in team history.
The Red Wings are set to return home after a four-game road trip to face the Ottawa Senators next. Meanwhile, the Avalanche will welcome the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.