This has been a season like few others in the history of the Colorado Avalanche. Riding a three-game losing streak, they welcomed the Seattle Kraken in a must-win game. Thankfully, the Avalanche delivered, and it was the kind of home game that fans love to see.
There are more than a few things worth noting from the 6-3 victory over the Kraken. There is hope among the Avalanche faithful that this could be the swing in the right direction the team has been in desperate need of for some time now. Let’s check out the three takeaways from the big win for the Avalanche.
Welcome Back, Artturi Lehkonen!
The first thing you will notice when looking at the lineup for the Kraken game is the return of Artturi Lehkonen. Since being acquired in the run-up to the 2022 Playoffs, he has proven himself to be an invaluable part of the lineup. His absence has been felt greatly so far this season, so everyone was more than happy to have him back.
He returned from shoulder surgery and didn’t miss a beat. Not only did he score a power play goal and add an assist in the process, but he played 22:25, the majority of it alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. It was just the boost the Avalanche needed.
Not every game is going to be sunshine and roses, especially after missing so much time. But to get off to that kind of start has to feel absolutely awesome for both he and the Avalanche at this point. With reinforcements on the way, they are going to start looking a lot different over the coming weeks.
Nathan MacKinnon Is a Monster
Can we talk for a minute about how insane MacKinnon has been to start the season? With all due respect to Cale Makar, who is on a historic pace for defensemen, MacKinnon has been playing on another planet. He racked up an incredible five assists in the win over the Kraken, bringing him to an NHL-best 25 points through 13 games.
There have been more than a few surprises from the start of the season. Some of them have been great, others have been forgettable. But the one thing that you can count on season over season is that MacKinnon will dominate as one of the most electric players in the league.
Related: 3 Surprises from Avalanche’s First Month of Season
MacKinnon even made a bit of history with his first assist of the night, becoming the second player in NHL history with multiple season-opening point streaks of at least 12 games, extending his run to 13 games. MacKinnon and Makar are not only sitting atop the NHL in points, but they are making their linemates better. MacKinnon has been such a relentless competitor his entire career and he is refusing to let the Avalanche go down without a good fight. At nearly two points per game, there is no one in the NHL playing better right now.
It Was a Power Play Fest
While a lot of things went well in this game, it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Avalanche had a whopping five power plays on the night. There was even a funky sequence in the second period where they scored on the power play to make it 4-2. The Kraken challenged and won only to have the Avalanche challenge and have the goal restored.
MacKinnon, Makar, and Rantanen were absolutely ridiculous with so much extra time and space. The trio combined for nine points with Rantanen adding a pair of goals after going without one for eight games (he had eight points in that stretch, to be fair).
The Avalanche currently have the second-best power play in the NHL at the moment, trailing only the Winnipeg Jets. Their 37% success rate is incredible, and it is a difference-maker, helping make the team ninth in goals-for-per-game at 3.54.
A Much-Needed Win
This is exactly the kind of win the Avalanche needed. While a 1-0 game would have been just as welcome for a number of reasons, it was nice to see them pump in goal after goal. The fan base needs a bit of fun in the wake of all the injuries and turmoil to start the season, and the Avalanche delivered.
Things get very tough over the next five. They have the Jets next, then the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, and the surprisingly hot Washington Capitals. At least four of those are at home, but it will show just where this team is at now that Lehkonen is back, and things are starting to trend upward.
