The Colorado Avalanche spent the first period looking like a team in need of a jolt. After that, they looked every bit like the group Jared Bednar wanted.
Colorado recovered from an ugly opening stretch Friday night at Ball Arena, overturned an early two-goal hole and rolled past the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2. Nathan MacKinnon finished with four points, Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, TJ Hughes picked up his first NHL goal, and Mackenzie Blackwood kept the night from getting away before the Avalanche took control.
The Penguins came out sharper and more forceful, outshooting Colorado 14-5 in the first period and jumping ahead 2-0 on goals from Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust. Lehkonen answered to get the Avalanche on the board, but even with that response, Colorado walked into the first intermission trailing 2-1 and probably relieved it wasn’t worse.
Whatever was said between periods clearly landed.
Lehkonen needed only 25 seconds of the second period to tie the game, finishing a setup from MacKinnon. Less than four minutes later, Gabriel Landeskog put Colorado in front after taking a nice feed from Brock Nelson. Then Hughes joined the party late in the period, scoring his first NHL goal to push the Avalanche ahead 4-2 by the second intermission.
From there, Pittsburgh never really got back into it. Colorado flipped the game completely, going from chasing to dictating, and MacKinnon put the finishing touch on it with a power-play goal in the third period.
For Hughes, the night carried extra weight. The 24-year-old had entered the game still looking for his first NHL goal and had managed just one point through his first seven games, which had naturally raised questions about how quickly he’d settle in. His second-period finish, set up by MacKinnon and Cale Makar, won’t answer every question about his offense, but it does give him a clean first step and a welcome confidence boost.
Blackwood deserves just as much credit as the scorers. He stopped 29 shots and was a major reason the Avalanche survived the opening period without the game slipping away. Colorado’s defense settled in behind him, and once the offense woke up, the Penguins had little room to answer.
The power play also did its part, going 1-for-4. MacKinnon’s third-period strike gave Colorado some insurance and capped a strong all-around night for a team that still has work to do, especially in terms of starting faster. But after a demanding stretch, the Avalanche will take the five goals, the response, the goaltending and the first NHL goal for Hughes.
In Other News...
Dave Hakstol Just Gave Avalanche Fans A Fast Reminder
Dave Hakstol wasted no time making an impression in Tempe, picking up his first win as Arizona States head coach in a 5-4 victory over UMass Lowell not long after leaving the Avalanche. The Sun Devils grabbed an early lead and then had to hang on through a late push, a familiar sort of test for any coach settling into a new job, and Hakstols rsum gives Arizona State reason to believe it has a steady hand guiding the program.
For Colorado fans, his quick success is a useful reminder of the experience Hakstol is taking with him. He arrives with a coaching background that stretches across both the collegiate and NHL ranks, and even in a new setting, he has already shown the kind of structure and resilience that can show up fast on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Suddenly Have A Depth Forward Problem They Cant Fix Yet
The Avalanches forward depth is getting tested before they even get on the plane for a two-game road trip to Philadelphia and New Jersey. Zachary LHeureux and Nic Roy will stay behind because of injuries and are listed as day-to-day, while Logan OConnor also wont travel as Colorado continues to manage his return after a long absence.
OConnors situation is a little different, since he is healthy but will remain in Denver to get up to speed and because of salary cap considerations tied to his long-term injured reserve status. It leaves Colorado in a tricky spot for a stretch that already asks plenty of its lineup, and it is the sort of roster puzzle that can tighten quickly if the injuries linger even a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Lehkonens Hot Start Is Putting Real Pressure On Colorado
Artturi Lehkonen has opened the season in a way that has given the Avalanche another problem worth having. With six goals in eight games, he has put together the best start of his career while once again showing why Colorado has always valued him for more than just the score sheet. He has long been the sort of player who can tilt a game with timely offense and steady two-way work, and this early surge only strengthens the case that he belongs in the clubs long-term plans.
The timing matters because Lehkonens contract is set to expire, which adds another layer to what is already shaping up as a key decision for Colorado. The Avalanche know what he has meant in big moments before, especially in the playoffs, and now they are seeing him provide even more regular-season production than usual. When a player with that track record starts this hot, it tends to sharpen the conversation quickly, even if the final answer is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]