Gabriel Landeskog scored a tiebreaking goal late in the third period, Martin Necas had an assist to reach 100 points for the first time in his career, and the visiting Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 on Tuesday.
Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored goals and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 30 shots for Colorado (54-16-11). The Avalanche have 119 points, tying the franchise record set during the 2021-22 season, when they won the Stanley Cup.
MacKinnon notched his NHL-leading 53rd goal of the season in his battle for the Rocket Richard Trophy. He has a two-goal lead over the Montreal Canadiens’ Cole Caufield, whose season is complete, and a five-goal edge on the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, who has one game remaining. Colorado also has one game left.
Cale Makar logged three assists for the Avalanche in his return to the lineup after missing seven games due to an upper-body injury. Devon Toews and Brock Nelson were healthy scratches, and Nazem Kadri (finger) and Josh Manson (upper-body injury) remain sidelined.
Colorado coach Jared Bednar missed his second consecutive game. Bednar didn’t travel on the two-game trip due to facial fractures and a corneal abrasion sustained when he was hit by a puck during the Avalanche’s Saturday game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Blake Coleman had a goal and Dustin Wolf made 36 saves for Calgary (33-39-9, 75 points).
The Avalanche got the winner when Landeskog won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Makar, who sent it to Brett Kulak. Landeskog, stationed in front of the crease, deflected Kulak’s shot past Wolf at 15:07.
Wolf came off for an extra skater and MacKinnon scored into the empty net at 19:43. Necas got the second assist on the goal to reach his personal milestone.
After a scoreless first period, the Flames broke through early in the second. Mikael Backlund had the puck at the point and sent a shot to the front of the net. Coleman, batting in the slot, got his stick on the puck as it glided on the ice, and it deflected over Blackwood’s shoulder at 7:22.
It was Coleman’s 20th goal of the season.
The Avalanche tied it when Makar fed Lehkonen for a one-timer at 11:25 of the second.
–Field Level Media
