Nathan MacKinnon has 3 assists to regain NHL points lead and help Avalanche beat Flames 4-2
Nathan MacKinnon has 3 assists to regain NHL points lead and help Avalanche beat Flames 4-2
Colorado Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, left, celebrates his goal with teammate Nathan MacKinnon during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, right, checks Calgary Flames’ Joel Farabee (86) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor, right, has his shot stopped by Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, centre, and MacKenzie Weegar during third period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, left, and Calgary Flames’ Matthew Coronato battle for the puck in front of goalie Mackenzie Blackwood during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Oliver Kylington, right, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, left, digs for the puck as it slips out from under Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, centre, while Daniil Miromanov defends during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, right, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Daniil Miromanov, left, during second-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, right, chases the puck as Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, center, and Daniil Miromanov clear it away during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, left, is knocked into the net as Avalanche’s Samuel Girard, right, checks Calgary Flames’ Blake Coleman (20) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, left, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Martin Pospisil (76) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau celebrates after his goal during first-period NHL hockey game action against the Colorado Avalanche in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, left, celebrates his goal with teammate Nathan MacKinnon during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, left, celebrates his goal with teammate Nathan MacKinnon during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, right, checks Calgary Flames’ Joel Farabee (86) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, right, checks Calgary Flames’ Joel Farabee (86) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor, right, has his shot stopped by Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, centre, and MacKenzie Weegar during third period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor, right, has his shot stopped by Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, centre, and MacKenzie Weegar during third period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, left, and Calgary Flames’ Matthew Coronato battle for the puck in front of goalie Mackenzie Blackwood during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, left, and Calgary Flames’ Matthew Coronato battle for the puck in front of goalie Mackenzie Blackwood during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Oliver Kylington, right, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Oliver Kylington, right, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, left, digs for the puck as it slips out from under Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, centre, while Daniil Miromanov defends during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, left, digs for the puck as it slips out from under Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, centre, while Daniil Miromanov defends during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, right, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Daniil Miromanov, left, during second-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, right, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Daniil Miromanov, left, during second-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, right, chases the puck as Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, center, and Daniil Miromanov clear it away during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, right, chases the puck as Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, center, and Daniil Miromanov clear it away during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, left, is knocked into the net as Avalanche’s Samuel Girard, right, checks Calgary Flames’ Blake Coleman (20) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, left, is knocked into the net as Avalanche’s Samuel Girard, right, checks Calgary Flames’ Blake Coleman (20) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, left, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Martin Pospisil (76) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado Avalanche’s Devon Toews, left, is checked by Calgary Flames’ Martin Pospisil (76) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau celebrates after his goal during first-period NHL hockey game action against the Colorado Avalanche in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau celebrates after his goal during first-period NHL hockey game action against the Colorado Avalanche in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had three second-period assists to regain the NHL points lead, Martin Necas scored twice and added an assist and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Thursday night.
MacKinnon has 83 points on 20 goals and an NHL-best 63 assists — to take a two-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, with the Avalanche set to face the Oilers on Friday night.
Cale Makar had his 20th goal of the season for Colorado. Artturi Lehkonen also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 27 shots.
Jonathan Huberdeau scored his team-leading 21st goal for Calgary. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson also scored and Dustin Wolf made 30 saves.
Huberdeau’s goal at 3:22 of the first period came on a two-man advantage.
Takeaways
Avalanche: From Calgary, Makar is the first NHL defenseman to reach 20 goals this season. He’s the eighth defenseman in NHL history with three or more 20-goal campaigns in his first six seasons, joining Paul Coffey (five), Denis Potvin (five), Ray Bourque (four), Bobby Orr (four), Steve Duchesne, Phil Housley and Reed Larson.
Flames: The Flames are the first team to score 5-on-3 in three straight games since the Phoenix Coyotes on Jan. 23-26, 2013.
Key moment
Makar tied it at 1 early in the second period to ignite Colorado’s big second-period push. The Avs took the lead for good four minutes later on Lehkonen’s 22nd goal. The Avs outscored Calgary 3-0 and outshot it 17-3 in the middle period.
Key stat
MacKinnon had his 18th career three-point period.
Up next
The Avalanche are at Edmonton on Friday night. The Flames host Seattle on Saturday night.
___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl