Recap: Avalanche execute an easy 6-1 win against Columbus

In hopes of continuing the momentum from their road sweep, the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets to begin a five-game homestand. While it wasn’t easy for the first ten minutes of the game, the Avalanche hit cruise control the rest of the way to a pretty routine 6-1 win.

The Game

It was a slow start for the home team who weren’t generating many shots and let Columbus get on the board early. Damon Severson deflected a puck past Alexandar Georgiev just before the five minute mark for the first goal of the game, the Avalanche responded at 11:00 when Cale Makar scored his 18th goal of the season sneaking down the right wing. Although Colorado received two power plays in the period and has some good looks, they didn’t convert on the man advantage and the period ended in a 1-1 tie.

In the second period Columbus’ defensive shortcomings started to show as the Avalanche got two quick goals to open the frame. First it was Ross Colton cleaning up a rebound at 5:43 and then Mikko Rantanen put a perfect chip off of his stick right into the net at 7:07. It was clear that Elvis Merzlikins can be exploited at the net front in particular. Columbus had a goal disallowed that hit the top of the net and the score remained 3-1 at the end of 40 minutes of play.

Time was starting to tick on Nathan MacKinnon who had been held pointless up through the start of the third period. But he finally broke through with a goal of his own at 6:01. Just over a minute later the Avalanche power play finally cashed in as Rantanen fired off another goal in which MacKinnon picked up an assist on. If five goals weren’t enough, Val Nichushkin picked up the sixth Avalanche goal of the game at 13:38 on a give and go play. With the game winding down Columbus didn’t like a clean hit by Josh Manson and he had to fight Mathieu Olivier in a mostly non-violent battle with one minute to go and the game ended in a 6-1 win for Colorado.

Takeaways

In the nightly Art Ross race update, Nathan MacKinnon had some work to do with both Nikita Kucherov and Connor McDavid each posting four points the night before. With two points tonight MacKinnon climbs to 119 points and three behind Kucherov for the lead. More importantly, his home point streak continues now up to 33 consecutive games.

While all eyes are on MacKinnon in the scoring race it is Mikko Rantanen who is also quietly maintaining his flirtation with the top five in league scoring himself. With a three point night he is just behind Artemi Panarin and 100 points on the season as he currently sits in sixth place with 96 points.

Upcoming

Another game at home against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins at 12 p.m. MT on Sunday. This game is nationally televised on TNT.