Martin Necas scored twice in a three-point game and Cale Makar collected one goal and one assist to pace the visiting Colorado Avalanche to a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Artturi Lehkonen also scored for the Avalanche while Nathan MacKinnon collected three assists to move back atop the league’s point-scoring race with 83.

Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves for Colorado, which has won three of four games overall and has defeated the Flames six straight times.

Jonathan Huberdeau and Rasmus Andersson scored for the Flames, who have lost two straight and five out of seven. Dustin Wolf stopped 30 shots.

Huberdeau opened the scoring on the power play when he found the mark with a point shot at 3:22 of the first period.

Makar sent the Avalanche off and running when he tied the game 80 seconds into the second period. He took advantage of a turnover to score his 20th goal of the season.

Lehkonen put Colorado ahead at 5:34 of the middle frame when he shoved home a loose puck to finish a dominating couple of shifts in the Calgary zone.

Necas gave the Avalanche a two-goal edge by deflecting MacKinnon’s shot for the power-play goal with 17.8 seconds remaining in the second period. Colorado held a 17-4 shot advantage in the frame.

Necas extended the lead to 4-1 with a breakaway tally at 12:53 of the third period. That essentially quashed Calgary’s comeback chances.

Andersson rounded out the scoring with a sharp-angled shot off the rush with 1:46 remaining.

Colorado will visit the Edmonton Oilers on Friday before the league pauses for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Calgary plays host to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday before the break.

–Field Level Media