Mackenzie Blackwood had 37 saves in his Colorado debut and the Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 in Denver on Saturday evening.
Blackwood, acquired from the San Jose Sharks on Monday, simply missed an opportunity for his second shutout of the season. Nathan MacKinnon had two targets and an help, Artturi Lehkonen additionally had two targets, Ross Colton added a objective and Mikko Rantanen had three assists for Colorado.
Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista scored targets and Juuse Saros turned away 29 photographs for the Predators, who misplaced for the ninth time in 10 video games.
Stamkos and Filip Forsberg had early probabilities to beat Blackwood, however he made two fast saves to set the tone for the evening. Stamkos then had a breakaway within the second interval that Blackwood saved.
The Predators performed with out defenseman Roman Josi, who missed his second straight recreation with a lower-body harm, however have been in a position to maintain Colorado in test till halfway by way of the second interval.
Casey Mittelstadt battled defenseman Adam Wilsby for the puck behind the Nashville objective earlier than gaining management of it. He handed it to Colton within the slot, whose one-timer beat Saros at 11:32 to present the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.
It was Colton’s tenth of the season and second since coming off the injured record on Dec. 7.
Cale Makar almost made it 2-0 minutes later, however Saros bought a pad on his shot from the highest of the best circle, and he made one other save on a short-handed likelihood late within the second.
Minutes later, MacKinnon gave the Avalanche a two-goal lead when he beat Saros with a roof shot from shut vary at 18:52.
Blackwood made a glove save on a shot from the purpose early within the third interval to maintain Nashville off the board, and shortly after, Lehkonen scored on a slapshot at 3:30.
Stamkos scored his eighth objective at 13:03 and Evangelista bought his third 2:02 afterward a delayed penalty. MacKinnon and Lehkonen scored empty-net targets to seal it. For MacKinnon, it was his thirteenth and Lehkonen now has 10.
–Discipline Degree Media
