In spite of the season the Colorado Avalanche have suffered through this year, forward Nathan MacKinnon has been a consistent light in the darkness. He proved as much once more on Friday night at the Pepsi Center, as he led the Avalanche to a stunning, shootout victory over the St. Louis Blues with the final dagger of the game, 2-1.
On top of his game-winner, MacKinnon added his name to the only other Colorado goal of the night, by assisting on rookie J.T. Compher‘s tally in the second period to bring the game to a draw. The dime brings his season total to 35,
“The goals aren’t there, and everybody looks at goals, but I feel like this is my best year, honestly,” MacKinnon said. “The second half of the season, I’ve been solid. Assists count too. You play with good goal scorers, you know, Mikko’s finishing, Dutchy’s finishing. I feel like I can see more right now, and like I said, it’s give and go hockey with those guys and it makes it easy.”
On the season, MacKinnon leads the team with 51 points–comprised of 35 assists and 16 goals–and shots (240). Friday’s game-winning goal was also his fifth. With MacKinnon on the ice, the efficacy of the team’s O-line is undeniable, even if the games often do not end in its favor.
“We’re doing good. I think that ever since our line’s been put together, we’ve been great,” MacKinnon said. “I like to play a give and go game,and that’s what they like to do as well, and it’s been good.”
From offense to defense, the Avs played their most complete game in weeks against the Blues, and snapped a long drought that’s been no stranger to them in a season like this.
“It’s been a while, I think,” MacKinnon said. “Against Wash, I thought we played a solid, but they’re the best in the league so they capitalized in the second, and we’d lost seven straight, so I can’t remember our last win.”
After getting off to a slow start with the Blues striking first midway through the opening period, the Avs faced yet another uphill battle, much like they’ve seen night in and night out. But after MacKinnon and Compher got the offense rolling with the second period score, there was no stopping the high-flying Avalanche.
“We had a tough first, our line was really, really bad in the first period and for whatever reason we turned the puck over,” MacKinnon said. “We weren’t playing very good off the rush, and in the second we were good. Everybody was good. I think after the power play goal, we started buzzing. All four lines were awesome tonight.”
Down the final stretch of regulation and overtime, goalie Calvin Pickard sealed the game for the Avalanche and perfectly set up MacKinnon to be the hero of the night. The Avs head next into the Wild to take on Minnesota on Sunday, April 2 at 4 p.m.
