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Tag: Ross Colton

  • Avalanche earn depth-charged 4-0 victory against Columbus, led by Trent Miner, Brent Burns

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    It was Next Generation day at Ball Arena, which involves kids taking over key roles during the in-game fan experience.

    It turned into a day where the Colorado Avalanche stars took a back seat to some of the “other guys” as well.

    Brent Burns scored twice, Trent Miner collected his first NHL victory and shutout with 29 saves and the bottom-six forwards were all over the scoresheet in a 4-0 win Saturday afternoon against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

    “We got contributions from a bunch of different guys tonight,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “It’s how you win. If you want to win a lot, you’re going to win in different ways and different guys are going to be chipping in. That’s what our team has been doing a lot this year.”

    The Avs have now won the first two contests of this season-long seven-game homestand. Colorado is halfway through its home slate this season, and is 19-0-2 at Ball Arena. The Avs have also won 17 straight here, which is one one shy of the franchise record set during the 2021-22 campaign.

    Burns gave Colorado the lead at 13:58 of the opening period. Gavin Brindley took the puck off the wall after a nice pass from Valeri Nichushkin and to the net on a rush. During the ensuing scramble, the rebound of a sharp-angle Ross Colton shot kicked out to the inside edge of the right circle and Burns snapped one through all the traffic in front for his seventh goal of the season.

    His second goal of the game and eighth of the year came with Colorado’s fourth line on the ice. Brindley and Zakhar Bardakov collected assists as Burns’ perimeter shot went off the goaltender, off a Blue Jackets’ defenseman and trickled across the goal line.

    Burns is one of the great offensive defensemen on the 21st century, but his eight goals this year are already two more than his last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s well-positioned to hit double digits for the 14th time in his career, and 15 for the ninth time isn’t out of the question.

    His two-goal game came two days after his defense partner, Josh Manson, scored twice.

    “I don’t think either shot was going at the net,” Burns said. “I wasn’t thinking about it. (Manson) even talked about it today, about how this game has a funny way of humbling you … we just talked about having a good game. It was lucky bounces, but it’s (also) forwards being in good spots.”

    Colorado’s recently formed third line produced the next two goals after Burns’ opener. Parker Kelly, up from the fourth line because of an injury to captain Gabe Landeskog, won a battle along the boards to the right of Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins. He got the puck to Jack Drury, who made a crafty little pass to Victor Olofsson for a backhanded shot and his eight goal of the season at 17:28 of the opening period.

    Olofsson, a shoot-first offensive player in his career, had gone 11 games without a goal, though Avs coach Jared Bednar has repeatedly praised his defense and all-around play in his first season with the club.

    Ilya Solovyov scored his first career NHL goal to give Colorado a 3-0 advantage midway through the second period. Olofsson led the offensive rush out of his own end, before leaving the puck for Kelly. His cross-ice pass found Solovyov, the trailing defenseman, and he buried a wrist shot from the left circle at 10:30 of the middle frame.

    It was the third straight game with a point for Solovyov. He had no goals and four assists in his first 25 career NHL games, but has a goal and two assists in his past three.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Avalanche power play springs to life, leads to 5-3 comeback win against Carolina

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — If the Colorado Avalanche power play starts to get rolling, look out.

    Already the NHL’s dominant team at even strength and the No. 1-ranked penalty kill entering the day, Colorado’s power play led a dramatic third-period comeback Saturday night. The Avs scored twice in the final period with the man advantage, with a goal from ex-Carolina forward Jack Drury in between, leading to a 5-3 victory over the Hurricanes at Lenovo Center.

    It was the 10th straight win for the Avs, who are now 31-2-7 after 40 games. The Avs now have two separate 10-game winning streaks this season.

    “It was a great effort,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “It would have been easy to pack it in, but I thought our guys, as soon as the puck hit the ice in the third, they were determined.

    “It was great to see our power play capitalize. There was a little frustration early on because of the pressure they put on you. They found a way to stick with it and get better on that unit.”

    RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 03: Brock Nelson #11 of the Colorado Avalanche chases a puck during the third period of a hockey match against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on January 03, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

    Newly-minted Olympian Brock Nelson scored twice. Nathan MacKinnon had an empty-net goal and four points, retaking the league lead from Connor McDavid with 74. Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves in his first start since Mackenzie Blackwood was put on injured reserve Friday.

    Carolina led 3-1 heading into the third period. That lead did not last long.

    Andrei Svechnikov took a tripping penalty 11 seconds into the third period, and the Avalanche power play started the comeback. Nelson tipped a wrist shot from MacKinnon past Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen at 1:09 of the third. It was Nelson’s 17th goal of the season.

    Drury then tied this contest at 3-3 just 33 seconds later. Ross Colton set him up for a shot from the left circle and his seventh goal of the year.

    “Huge goal,” Brent Burns, another former Carolina player returning for the first time since leaving, said. “He just does so many things right, so many hard things right. He’s such a great player, smart player. I try to sit next to him just to get some IQ into my head.”

    Nelson’s 18th of the season and second of the night with the man advantage put Colorado in front at 7:30. It was one of the prettiest goals of the Avs season. It was a tic-tac-toe passing play, with Cale Makar sending the puck to MacKinnon, whose cross-ice slap-pass set up Nelson for an easy one from the right circle.

    This is only the fourth time all season the Avs have scored multiple power-play goals in a game.

    “It’s nice,” Nelson said. “Another different way to win a game for us. It was nice to get a couple and be a big difference maker in a big comeback win on the road against a good team.”

    The power play that led to Nelson’s goal did not come without a cost. Devon Toews crashed into the end boards skates first and left the game. Nikolaj Ehlers was called for tripping on the play.

    Toews was down for an extended period, but did return to the game late in the period. After the game, Bednar said he believes Toews is OK.

    Carolina has been one of the most dangerous offensive teams while killing penalties for years, and the Hurricanes grabbed the lone goal of the first period while shorthanded. Sebastian Aho deflected a MacKinnon pass to Makar, and then got a piece of Makar as he tried to move the puck to Martin Necas.

    Eric Robinson intercepted that pass and sent it to Aho, who had already taken off behind Makar and went in alone for a breakaway goal at 18:09 of the first. That was Aho’s first shorthanded goal of the season, but it was the 37th shot attempt for Carolina with him on the ice on the PK, which is tops among all forwards in the NHL.

    It was also Aho’s 300th career goal. That’s also three shorthanded goals against in seven games.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • As Jared Bednar tries new line combos, Avalanche keeps winning

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    This edition of the Colorado Avalanche has been so consistently good that Jared Bednar, often a tinkerer when he’s looking for a spark, hasn’t needed to turn the line blender on very often.

    After starting 31 consecutive games with the same top line, the Avs’ top trio had a new look Saturday night in a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators. Well, new to start a game, anyway.

    Bednar moved rookie Gavin Brindley to the top line in the middle of the previous game, a 6-2 thumping of the Florida Panthers. Brindley started a game there for the first time, bumping Martin Necas down to the third line.

    “Awesome,” Brindley said. “Playing with the best, if not one of the best players in the world. Pretty damn cool. I never thought that would come to fruition. Yeah, really cool.”

    NHL’s rash of overtime games needs a solution: Three-point games

    Bednar’s rationale was pretty simple: He liked how Brindley played with Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen the game before, and wanted to see it again. Part of the reason for the switch Thursday against the Panthers was Necas has been playing through an illness, and didn’t love how he was playing.

    It says something about how this season is going for the Avs that Necas still set up a goal and scored one, albeit one that was taken off the board because of an offsides challenge, against Florida.

    There are still 50 games left in this season, but the Avs have steamrolled their way to the top of the NHL standings. They have 53 points in 32 games, which is tied for the third-most in league history at this point.

    Bednar’s philosophy on building lines has a couple of core ideas. If he finds a line he really likes, he will stick with it for long stretches, and will likely to go back to at some point in the future. But, he also likes to tinker, and often says he wants every player to play with everyone over the course of a regular season.

    “It’s definitely a bonus,” MacKinnon said of the flexibility. “We might need different combos eventually. I think it’s good to switch things up sometimes. I thought all four lines played pretty good (Saturday night).”

    The past couple of Avalanche teams have given him good reason to shake up his lineup, either with slow starts to the season or in-season funks. The closet thing this group has had to an adverse stretch was a four-game losing streak that still involved collecting three points (0-1-3).

    So, after 30 overwhelmingly successful games, Bednar did a little tinkering. Brindley’s return to the lineup against Florida led to a few new looks. Ross Colton moved to the middle for the first time all season, centering the third line. Brindley slotted in next to him, playing with the third line for the first time.

    Jack Drury moved down to the fourth line, with Parker Kelly and Joel Kiviranta. A trio of Drury, Kelly and Logan O’Connor became of Bednar’s favorite lines last season, and they had an excellent playoff series against the Dallas Stars.

    Roster construction and O’Connor’s injuries has kept that line apart this year, but Bednar has said they will play together again at some point. And Kiviranta is a pretty similar player to O’Connor.

    Grading The Week: Avalanche need to avoid first-round dogfight vs. Dallas, Quinn Hughes in Stanley Cup Playoffs

    Drury took the demotion in stride against Florida, and then scored Colorado’s second goal against Nashville.

    “It’s easy. It’s part of being a pro,” Drury said before the Nashville game. “I’ve said this before, but there are so many good players (here), it doesn’t really matter who you are going out with. Any forward you go out with is going to be able to make plays and be smart. It’s easy.”

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Avalanche sign goaltender Scott Wedgewood to one-year contract extension

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    Scott Wedgewood didn’t need a full calendar year to show the Colorado Avalanche why the club should want to keep him around.

    Wedgewood signed a one-year contract extension Thursday morning worth $2.5 million, a source confirmed to the Denver Post. The 33-year-old goaltender is in the final season of a two-year deal he had originally signed with the Nashville Predators, and he would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer.

    Instead, the Avs now have the “Lumber Yard” tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Wedgewood in place through the 2026-27 season.

    “It’s just a place that my wife and I have felt at home with,” Wedgewood said. “A great hockey team. All those guys in the room, I owe them a lot of beers for putting me in this situation. It’s just been a good fit since I got here.”

    The Avs traded goalie Justus Annunen and a sixth-round draft pick to the Predators on Dec. 1, 2024, for Wedgewood. It was the first of many roster-overhauling deals that general manager Chris MacFarland made last season.

    Wedgewood’s arrival helped stabilize the goaltending position. The Avs were last in the NHL in save percentage before Dec. 1. They added Blackwood 10 days later and had the sixth-best save percentage through the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

    Blackwood missed the first 12 games of this season, rehabbing from an offseason procedure. Wedgewood has filled in as the starter and leads the NHL with 10 wins (10-1-2). His .913 save percentage is fifth among goalies with at least 10 games played, and his 2.26 goals against average is third.

    Wedgewood said the deal was almost completed Wednesday night, but his wife likely found out on social media when it was officially done Thursday morning because it was just before the morning skate at Ball Arena. His parents are also in town to help celebrate.

    “It’s a chance to play 30-plus games, a chance to be on a really good team, a chance of winning (the Stanley Cup),” Wedgewood said. “When you put it in that perspective, it’s probably the best spot in the league to be a 1A and 1B with (Blackwood).”

    The Avs also have Ilya Nabokov, a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft, under contract for next season. Nabokov, 22, was the KHL playoff MVP in 2024 and is expected to join the Avs in the spring after his season with Magnitogorsk ends.

    After back-to-back strong seasons as Magnitogorsk’s starter, Nabokov has struggled at times this year.

    “We’ve got Nabokov coming, we’ve got Blackwood locked in (through 2030), but Nabokov’s never played in North America or the NHL,” Bednar said. “(A) good prospect and has some growth that he still needs in his game.

    “When you get a guy (like Wedgewood) who wants to be here and fits in your culture and then performs like this on the ice, I think the natural progression is trying to get him locked up.”

    Nichushkin week-to-week

    When Gavin Brindley signed a contract extension Tuesday, his coach said he believes the 21-year-old can be a top-six forward in this league. Two days later, he is one.

    Valeri Nichushkin will miss at least a handful of games and is week-to-week, Bednar said Thursday morning. The club expects to have a better handle on his timeline early next week.

    “Nothing too serious, which is good, but serious enough that he’s going to miss a handful of games at least,” Bednar said.

    The Avs have had players missing with injuries this season, but the top-nine forwards all played each of the first 17 games.

    In the meantime, Brindley will move up to the second line Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres and play next to Brock Nelson and Ross Colton. Brindley has been an early-season surprise for the Avs, earning more trust from the coaching staff while playing primarily on the fourth line.

    “Gavin Brindley — that’s how we (replace him),” Bednar said. “With Val, it’s power play, it’s penalty kill, it’s top-six minutes, it’s empty net when you need one and empty net when you need to keep the other team off the board. It’s a lot of different duties that we will split up.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Slow start dooms shorthanded Avalanche in loss to Lightning

    Slow start dooms shorthanded Avalanche in loss to Lightning

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    For 54 minutes Wednesday night, the severely shorthanded Colorado Avalanche played about as well as expected, considering the circumstances.

    That, however, came after the first six minutes went about as poorly as someone could imagine. The big guns on the Tampa Bay Lightning had a huge night, and the Avs’ pushback was met by one of the best goalies in the world in a 5-2 loss at Ball Arena.

    Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel combined for three goals and seven points for the Lightning. After allowing three goals on the first five shots, new Colorado goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen did find his way and finished with 16 saves.

    “Against teams like that with that high-end skill, you expect them to make those plays, but it’s still not easy to make the saves on those plays,” Kahkonen said. “Especially early like that. But it’s … what are you going to do? You just play. You try to stop the next puck and you try to get into a rhythm.”

    The Avs have been without Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder), Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) and Gabe Landeskog (knee) all season and Jonathan Drouin (upper body) joined them after getting hurt in the opener against Vegas. The situation got worse for Colorado before this game.

    Ross Colton is out 6-to-8 weeks with a broken foot after blocking a shot Monday night against Chicago, Avs coach Jared Bednar said Wednesday morning. Miles Wood is also out for 7-to-10 days with an upper-body injury that he’s been trying to play through.

    “Our (missing) payroll is outrageous,” Nathan MacKinnon said. It’s not excuses. It’s just facts. I do like how we’re playing overall. When guys come back, I feel like if just keep with this, we’ll have better results, but that’s not the point right now.”

    While there were some positives to build from for a team missing six of its top-10 forwards, the Avs were down 3-0 before the first TV timeout.

    Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper gets an assist on each of the first two Lightning goals. Both times, the play began with his third line against Colorado’s makeshift third line, which included defenseman Oliver Kylington.

    The Lightning gained control of the puck and made an on-the-fly change to its top line, and then quickly scored in similar fashion. Point took the puck behind the Colorado net and found Kucherov wide open in the slot for a one-timer 61 seconds in.

    Kucherov collected the puck behind his own net at the start of his next shift and went coast-to-coast. He went behind the net like Point did, but sent a reverse pass back to where he came from. Guentzel was waiting near the right post for an easy one at 3:36 for a 2-0 lead.

    “It’s awareness mistakes,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Young players just not reading it quick enough and not getting in quite the right spots.

    “Overall, I thought we were engaged in the game. We played pretty hard, played pretty well. Definitely had a better second than the first, and the third was pretty good again. It didn’t come easy for us on the offensive side of it, either.”

    Sam Malinski fell near the offensive blue line and tried to swipe at the puck, but the end result was a 3-on-1 the other way and a highlight-reel goal for Tampa Bay. Conor Geekie started the passing play and then finished it at 5:32 of the first after all three forwards touched the puck in quick succession.

    The Avs did settle into the game after the opening flurry. Ivan Ivan scored his second career goal to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 3-1 at at 14:56 of the first.

    Ivan tipped a point shot from Cale Makar past Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy from the high slot. He has been the replacement for Ross Colton in that spot, and both of his goals have come with PP1.

    Colorado’s first six minutes of the second period went very well, except the Avs couldn’t beat Vasilevskiy. Then, with a jumbled Avs line on the ice after a Colorado power play ended, Tampa Bay’s big guns feasted again.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Avalanche leading goal scorer Ross Colton is “going to miss some time”

    Avalanche leading goal scorer Ross Colton is “going to miss some time”

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    The Avalanche has desperately needed Ross Colton’s goal-scoring surge to start the 2024-25 season with so many top forwards missing from the lineup.

    Now the Avs need someone to step up and replace Colton.

    The second-year Colorado forward took a shot off his right foot Monday night against the Chicago Blackhawks and did not play in the third period of an eventual 5-2 loss. He left the Avs locker room in a walking boot.

    “He’s out,” Bednar said. “He took that shot … he’s going to miss some time. We’ll get a better feel on how long it’s going to be (Tuesday) or by Wednesday morning.”

    Colton leads the Avalanche with eight goals in 10 games. He’s been the club’s go-to first-line left wing next to Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen since Jonathan Drouin was injured in the opening game of the season.

    Colton and Drouin are joined on the unavailable list by Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder), Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) and Gabe Landeskog (knee). That’s nearly $25 million in forwards.

    Lehkonen has a checkup scheduled for Tuesday on his shoulder, which required offseason surgery. He’s been practicing with the team and could play soon if that meeting with the doctor goes well. Drouin has been skating with the team in a red, no-contact jersey and could be getting closer to returning as well.

    Nichushkin is not eligible to be reinstated from his suspension while in Stage 3 of the NHL-NHLPA Players Assistance Program until the middle of next month, but he is skating and working out on his own in Denver.

    The Avs began Monday on a five-game winning streak and some light at the end of this dark availability tunnel, but Colton’s injury adds another bit of uncertainty for the club.

    Originally Published:

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Another huge night for Casey Mittelstadt leads to fifth straight Avalanche win

    Another huge night for Casey Mittelstadt leads to fifth straight Avalanche win

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    That trade for Casey Mittelstadt looks pretty good so far.

    Mittelstadt had three assists, including setting up the go-ahead goal with 6:31 left, and the Colorado Avalanche shook off a few minutes of lackluster hockey in the third period Sunday night to defeat the Ottawa Senators, 5-4, at Ball Arena.

    It’s the Avs’ fifth straight win since starting the season 0-4. It’s also back-to-back three-point games for Mittelstadt, who joined the club before the trade deadline last season from Buffalo and signed a three-year contract this offseason.

    “Just to have him last year, and then see the work he put in this summer, we knew there was another gear this guy could find,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Another step he can take in his game, like his complete game, but what’s going to follow is the production. He’s a super-talented guy. He sees things other guys can’t see, and he makes plays other guys can’t make.”

    Mittelstadt earned the primary assist on all three goals. He’s up to five goals and 12 points in nine games, and hasn’t played a minute yet this season with the two guys who could eventually be his wings — Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin.

    He found O’Connor in front of the net to make it a 3-2 game. Ross Colton continued his scoring tear to start the season with his eighth of the season 90 seconds later. Nathan MacKinnon added an empty-netter with 1:15 left to seal the win.

    “(Mittelstadt) will find you anywhere. It’s insane,” O’Connor said. “You just get open and … forehand, backhand, three guys on him, no space, he’s still going to find you. It’s pretty remarkable. He’s honestly one of the best puck players I’ve ever played with.”

    After Colorado had bottled up Ottawa for nearly 50 minutes, the Senators scored twice in 2:08 to even the score at 2-2. Brady Tkachuk had the first one, after a Tyler Kleven shot from the right point went wide. The rebound off the boards behind Justus Annunen came right to Tkachuk at the left post for a tap-in with 10:45 left in the third.

    Ottawa kept pushing and found another similar goal with 8:37 left. Nick Cousins put home the rebound of a shot from the left point after getting position on Colton near the right post.

    Annunen ended up allowing four goals in the final 11 minutes after yielding just four in his previous 11 periods combined, but the shorthanded Avs remain in “two points, anyway possible” mode.

    “I would say it was one of those games where we found a way,” O’Connor said. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it was how we wanted to win, but we’ll take those ones any day of the week.”

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Ross Colton’s scoring surge critical for short-handed Avalanche: “When he’s getting the opportunities, he’s burying them”

    Ross Colton’s scoring surge critical for short-handed Avalanche: “When he’s getting the opportunities, he’s burying them”

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    “Plan D” is working out A-OK for the Colorado Avalanche.

    When Jared Bednar looks for a player to slot in next to Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, he has a list of traits in mind. They include being a trusted defensive player, being able to play a lot of minutes at a high energy level, playing with ruggedness and a desire to forecheck, and being a hard, competitive player at the front of the opposing team’s net.

    The first three players who come to mind are captain Gabe Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen. None of them are available right now.

    Enter Ross Colton.

    “(Colton) does all of those things,” Bednar said. “He may be the fourth guy down the list, but he’s played really well when he’s done it.”

    Technically, Colton might even be fifth, because Jonathan Drouin has also spent a lot of time next to MacKinnon and Rantanen … and he’s also not available. Colton has been a breakout star for the Avalanche to start this season.

    Six games, six goals — including a pair in each of the club’s two victories.

    “Being able to play with Nate and Mikko has just been a pleasure,” Colton said. “That’s two of the best players in the world. For me, I’m just trying to play my game, try to get open for them. You just find the smallest bit of area on the ice and they find you. It’s been fun.

    “My favorite thing about playing with them is just coming back to the bench and the little things they tell you. It makes a big difference. It goes a long way, knowing that those guys believe in me and we’ve formed a little bit of chemistry.”

    The Avs traded for Colton at the 2023 NHL draft, then signed him to a four-year contract. The plan was make to him the club’s new No. 3 center. He had played there at times, but Colton spent most of his time with Tampa Bay on the wing.

    It wasn’t an easy transition early on last year, but by the end of the year he was a solid player in that spot. With all of those wings out of the lineup this year, Bednar needed him back on the wing.

    And he has delivered, in a huge way. Colton was tied for second in the NHL with his six goals before the games on Monday night.

    “He’s shooting the puck well,” Bednar said. “He’s getting himself into scoring areas. He’s been patient in those areas. He’s been moving in and out, especially in the middle. When he’s getting the opportunities, he’s burying them.

    “I just think he’s playing with a ton of confidence. He’s skating really well. He’s just playing well and he’s fitting in with those guys.”

    Both MacKinnon and Rantanen have praised Colton for his physical play. He isn’t the biggest guy, but he’s fearless when it comes to crashing into defensemen along the walls and behind the net.

    His ability to shoot, particularly on one-timers, has been a revelation. The Avs have scored eight power-play goals, and Colton has three of them. He had three all of last season, in nearly 114 minutes of power-play time.

    Two of his three even-strength goals have looked like the power-play tallies — one-timers from the middle of the ice.

    “I’m just trying to get open for them,” Colton said. “Almost trying not to get in the way. They’re flying around out there, playing with so much speed and pace. For me, I’m just trying to get to the little areas where they can find me.”

    Colton’s goal-scoring surge could present an interesting bit of roster flexibility in the months to come. His career high for goals in a season is 22 with the Lightning, which clearly looks like it could be in jeopardy.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Justus Annunen, Ross Colton help Avalanche win second straight

    Justus Annunen, Ross Colton help Avalanche win second straight

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    SAN JOSE — The high-flying, supercharged Colorado Avalanche did not show up Sunday at SAP Center, but Justus Annunen made sure that version of the club wasn’t needed.

    Annunen made 25 saves, including a few key ones while the Avs were clearly on the back foot, and Colorado defeated a plucky San Jose Sharks outfit, 4-1. Given the roster limitations — Colorado was again without five of its 10 best players — the Avs need to scratch out as many points as possible.

    “It was huge to get a solid goaltending performance,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Wasn’t a lot of work but he made key saves at key times. We did a nice job of blocking shots in front of him. He looked solid in there. He looked big in there.

    “He lets the one squeak through him on the power play, and from then on he looked better and better as the game went on.”

    After beginning the season with four straight losses, the Avalanche has now won back-to-back contests. Colorado’s next four contests are all against teams that, like Anaheim two nights ago and San Jose, did not make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

    Ross Colton scored twice early, then Joel Kiviranta provided a critical insurance goal early in the third period after the Sharks controlled play at times in the middle of this penalty-filled affair. Cale Makar added an empty-net goal as part of a three-point night.

    Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen combined for six points in this game. They have 34 in six games — Makar has 12, which is tied for the NHL lead, while MacKinnon and Rantanen have 11 each.

    “It’s been huge to have them going, because the bulk of our offense is coming from those guys as we’d expect it to, at this point,” Bednar said. “It’s a lot of pressure on them. We talked a little about making sure we’re still focusing on the defense side of it, which they really have in the last (few) games. It’s really paid off, and everyone else is sort of following suit and doing what they can.”

    The first period went exactly as the Avs might have planned, save for the final couple of minutes. Colton gave Colorado a 2-0 lead with his fifth and sixth goals of the season.

    Colton’s first game at 6:23 on the power play. He’s become a fixture in the bumper spot for the top power-play unit with Jonathan Drouin, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen not available. MacKinnon fed him for a one-timer in the slot. Colton’s first five goals of the season came on one-timers.

    He did not need a one-timer to make it a two-goal advantage. Rantanen feathered a perfect pass to Colton as he got behind the San Jose defense for a goal at 16:37 of the period.

    “(Colton) plays hard. He plays with the edge,” Rantanen said. “On the power play, he’s good in little spots, good at finishing plays like we’ve seen this year. (Jonathan Drouin) is obviously a big part of the power play, but (Colton) has been stepping up.”

    Josh Manson took exception to a hit on John Ludvig and ended up with two roughing penalties instead of a fighting major. The Sharks scored 18 seconds into the power play when William Eklund was left open to the left of Annunen and roofed a shot from in tight with 1:35 left in the period.

    The first period might have been one of Colorado’s best of the season to date, but the second was probably the worst outside of the loss against the New York Islanders. The Avs failed to take advantage of a 5-on-3 early in the period, then took four minor penalties themselves.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • As the Stanley Cup Playoffs beckon, Zach Parise is ready for his last dance

    As the Stanley Cup Playoffs beckon, Zach Parise is ready for his last dance

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    When Ross Colton scored his 15th goal of the season last month, he turned and jumped into the arms of Zach Parise.

    It was a great moment for Colton, who grew up in New Jersey with Parise as one of his favorite players. Colton has a photo of that embrace, and he intends to find a frame for it. He might want to grab another photo with one of his teenage idols Thursday night.

    Colorado Avalanche center Ross Colton (20) celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets with teammate Zach Parise (9) in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday, March 22, 2024. Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) watches the celebration. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

    Parise, who joined the Avalanche just before the All-Star break after taking the first half of the season off, confirmed Wednesday to the Denver Post that the contest against Edmonton at Ball Arena will be the last regular-season game of a long and distinguished career.

    “Yeah, I’ve decided,” Parise said. “I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. I was content coming back that this would be the last one.”

    It will be regular-season game No. 1,254 for Parise, who has also played for the Devils, his hometown Minnesota Wild and the New York Islanders. He’s eighth all time among American-born players with 433 goals. His goal with 25 seconds left in regulation helped the United States reach overtime in the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympics before Sidney Crosby scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history for Canada.

    Parise had 21 goals for the Islanders last season, but had decided he was ready to hang up his skates this past summer … until he wasn’t. Then he spent the first half of the season working himself back into playing shape before signing Jan. 26 with the Avalanche.

    “It’s been awesome to be a part of,” Parise said. “The experience itself. Playing with these guys and even just practicing with them, it makes you a better player — even at my age. It’s gone even better than I thought it would be.”

    Parise has four goals and nine points in 29 games for the Avs. He’s moved around quite a bit in the lineup with various injuries. The forwards he’s played the most with are Colton and Miles Wood, who also played for a long time with the Devils.

    The pace at which he can play, even as he approaches his 40th birthday, and his versatility was attractive to Colorado as the Avs searched for another depth forward.

    “Knowing how he is, you knew he was going to come here in shape and ready to go. I had no doubt in my mind that he could step in and play,” said Avs defenseman Jack Johnson, who played with Parise at the 2010 Olympics. “He’s just a great guy to have around. He’s a great pro. Does everything right. Has a great attitude every day. Works hard, works on his craft — just a great human being on and off the ice and a great example for the younger guys.”

    Parise didn’t come back to play with the Avs to pad his regular-season resume. He’s here because there’s one big thing missing — a Stanley Cup championship. He got close with the Devils in 2012, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final.

    The Avs have a lot of players who won the Cup in 2022. Colton won with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. Jared Bednar said recently that helping Parise get his first is one of the reasons he wants to win again this season.

    Bednar isn’t alone.

    “Everybody wants to win, obviously. I think it would be even more special for him and to help him win,” Colton said. “I think when the time comes, it will be something we can rally around.

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin set new career highs as Avalanche blasts Blue Jackets

    Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin set new career highs as Avalanche blasts Blue Jackets

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    The only drama left in the final period Friday night at Ball Arena was whether Nathan MacKinnon could continue his pursuit of NHL history and extend his home scoring streak to 33 games.

    MacKinnon took care of it with 13:59 to spare, then added another on a surgical power-play goal barely more than a minute later to help the Colorado Avalanche crush the Columbus Blue Jackets, 6-1. It was Colorado’s eighth straight victory, and moved the Avalanche to the top of the Central Division with 95 points.

    “The streak is a result of all the hard work and dedication that he brings to the game on a nightly basis,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “There’s not a guy on that bench that didn’t know he hadn’t had a point yet, and when he got it everyone was pretty happy. You can see he wants it. He was a little ornery on the bench when he hadn’t got a point yet. That’s the pressure he puts on himself.”

    Cale Makar casually broke up a 2-on-2 rush for the Blue Jackets and set MacKinnon loose on a breakaway. MacKinnon had seven shots on goal before this, but didn’t miss with No. 8 and set a new career high with 43 goals in a season. Toss in the primary assist on Mikko Rantanen’s second goal of the night 73 seconds later, and MacKinnon has 119 points, one shy of Joe Sakic’s Denver-based record.

    The overall franchise record, 139 for Peter Stastny in 1981-82, remains very much in play. MacKinnon’s home scoring streak is now tied with one Wayne Gretzky run for the second-longest in league history. He’s chasing Gretzky’s 1988-89 season, when he had a point in all 40 home games.

    Makar had Colorado’s first goal after a nifty rush sequence. Jonathan Drouin gained the offensive zone and left a drop pass for Artturi Lehkonen. He immediately found Makar in some open space near the right circle for his 18th goal of the season. That ties Nashville’s Roman Josi for the league lead among defensemen and left him three points shy of Quinn Hughes for tops in that category.

    Jared Bednar reunited Ross Colton and Miles Wood on the team’s third line along with Zach Parise, and that trio created the second goal. Parise pulled up along the right wing, saw his linemates both loitering near the net and sent the puck in that direction. Both guys were there hunting for the rebound, and Colton shoveled it across the line for his 15th of the season.

    “I feel like they should be playing together,” Bednar said. “They get along off the ice. We’ve seen them play some great stretches of games. … I know that they have it in them. They just had to work through some issues. Great conscious on the defensive side tonight, physical, went to the net hard, drew penalties, banged in a rebound goal. I liked that line a lot tonight.”

    Bednar did some in-game tinkering as well, flipping MacKinnon and Casey Mittelstadt’s on the top two lines. Rantanen scored on Mittelstadt’s first shift with him and Valeri Nichushkin, deflecting a point shot from Josh Manson past Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.

    Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) handles the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jake Bean (22) in the first period at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday, March 22, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

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    Corey Masisak

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  • Stamkos scores 2, Lightning beat Blue Jackets 5-2

    Stamkos scores 2, Lightning beat Blue Jackets 5-2

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Steven Stamkos scored twice, and Corey Perry and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist, as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 Friday for their first win of the season.

    Cal Foote also scored for the Lightning, and Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Killorn and Mikhail Sergachev each added two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots.

    “It was a well-rounded game,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “It was something we needed, and now we’re just going to have to carry it into tomorrow.”

    Johnny Gaudreau got his first goal since signing with the Blue Jackets in the offseason, and Gus Nyquist also scored for Columbus. Daniil Tarasov remained winless in seven NHL appearances, finishing with 34 saves.

    Columbus dropped its first two games for the third time in four seasons and the seventh time in franchise history. The Blue Jackets were playing their first game without star forward Patrik Laine, who injured his shoulder in the opening loss against Carolina and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.

    “We were sloppy,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “We weren’t good enough tonight….We had some bad bounces but that’s not why we lost tonight. We lost because they were the better team.”

    Colton picked up a loose puck in the right circle and quickly fired a shot past Tarasov to give the Lightning a 3-2 lead with 1:05 left in the opening period.

    Foote’s deflection of a pass from Colton went off the right skate of Blue Jackets defenseman Jake Bean and in past Tarasov to push Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-2 at 7:45 of the second.

    Columbus failed to capitalize on a 5-on-3 powerplay to end the second period, before Stamkos got his second of the night and third in two games this season to make it a three-goal game at 7:57 of the third.

    “Whenever you kill a 5-on-3, it’s a boost to the team and gives you energy,” Namestnikov said.

    Gaudreau put Columbus on the board at 2:21 of the first, taking a behind-the-net feed from Justin Danforth and burying it past Vasilevskiy to earn chants of “Johnny! Johnny!” from the sellout crowd.

    “I thought, we had a good start,” Gaudreau said. “In the second they kind of took it to us to us. We lost focus. We just weren’t making the right plays in our D-zone.”

    Perry and Stamkos scored 1:13 apart late in the opening period to put Tampa Bay ahead. Perry tied it with a power-play goal with 5:52 left for the 406th score of his career, tying him with Rod Gilbert and John LeClair for the 99th place in NHL history. Stamkos put the Lightning ahead with a shot that bounced off the skate of Columbus defenseman Adam Boqvist into the back of the net.

    “You knew they were going to come our hard with their home opener, and you knew their juices would be flowing for them,” Perry said. “The crowd was into it early. They got an earlier one, but we found a way on the power-play to get one right back. We answered and we continue to do the good things.”

    Nyquist, however, tied it 34 seconds later with his first of season with just over 4 minutes remaining in the period.

    WELCOME HOME

    Gaudreau was one of three Blue Jacket players making their Nationwide Arena debuts Friday. He was joined by forward Mathieu Olivier, who was acquired from Nashville via trade, and defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who signed last summer as a free agent and assisted on Nyquist’s goal.

    FEELING BLUE

    Stamkos (14 goals, 16 assists) has recorded more goals and points against Columbus than any skater in Lightning franchise history and has nine points in his last four games against the Blue Jackets.

    CENTURY MAN

    Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman played in his 900th career game and notched an assist on Colton’s goal.

    ON THE MOVE

    Elvis Merzlikins returned from sickness to be the Blue Jackets’ backup netminder, with goalie Jet Greaves returned to Cleveland of the AHL. Forward Kent Johnson was recalled and skated on the third line. … The Lightning recalled defenseman Trevor Carrick from AHL Syracuse to fill the void left by the suspension of Ian Cole.

    UP NEXT

    Lightning: At Pittsburgh on Saturday night to finish a season-opening three-game trip.

    Blue Jackets: At St. Louis on Saturday night.

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