Continuing the hot start to their season, the Colorado Avalanche skated out of Ohio with a 4–1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. As the team celebrated Cale Makar’s 400th career game, he would chip in with two points of his own. The second line, which had been struggling, netted three goals – including a pair from Valeri Nichushkin. The Blue Jackets had two goals reversed on hand passes, which left the crowd with a sour taste in their mouths, but for the Avalanche, sweeping their brief road trip tasted decidedly sweeter.

View from the Mountaintop

The Avalanche second line had collected only two points coming into Thursday, but that would change in the second period. Brock Nelson, who is surprisingly playing after taking a skate blade to the wrist earlier in the week, tipped in Brent Burns’ half-slapper from the blue line. Valeri Nichushkin had just one assist before Thursday, but tipped Sam Malinski’s wrister in with 3.9 seconds left in the second. Gabriel Landeskog, who added an assist on Nichushkin’s empty-netter, would have likely tipped Nelson’s goal if he hadn’t, and it looks like the captain is getting his hand-eye coordination back, too.

Defenseman Cale Makar skated in his 400th career NHL game Thursday night, coming away with yet another goal and an assist. Now up to seven points on the season, no defenseman in the league has more – and only 26 years old, Makar already has earned a Stanley Cup, a pair of Norris Trophies, the Calder Trophy, and the Conn Smythe, as he continues to compile a sure-fire Hall-of-Fame résumé.

Scott Wedgewood, who earned the First Star on Thursday night, continues to hold the fort for the Avalanche in net, and only one goal to the Blue Jackets. That’s been Wedgewood’s M.O. – he has allowed more than one goal only once, and has four wins and only a single shootout loss through his five games.

Up Next

The Avalanche will head home to take on the rebuilding Boston Bruins on Saturday night at 7 p.m. MT. Altitude and KTVD (My20) will broadcast the game.

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Originally published on Hockey Mountain High, part of the Mile High Sports family of networks.