MacKinnon’s 4 Points Lift Avalanche Past Oilers 5-4

The NHL’s top two point leaders were in action as Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche played Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night (Feb. 7). It’s always exciting and entertaining when these two teams battle, and this game was no different. It started early, as there were five goals scored in the first period and nine overall. You could tell this was the last game for both teams before a two-week break, because the attention to detail in the defensive zone was nonexistent for large stretches. As a result, this was an offensive explosion in which the Avalanche defeated the Oilers 5-4 in regulation. Here’s your game recap.

Game Recap

Colorado opened the scoring midway through the first period on the power play. MacKinnon curled around the left faceoff circle and his quick wrister went five-hole on goaltender Stuart Skinner for his 21st goal of the season.

However, the Oilers answered back with a power-play marker of their own just 51 seconds later. Six seconds into the man advantage, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins found Draisaitl who one-timed his league-leading 39th goal from the high slot.

The offence kept coming as Cale Makar restored Colorado’s lead just over a minute later. MacKinnon entered the zone off the rush and found Makar whose wrister found the back of the net.

It didn’t stop there as 38 seconds later, Edmonton tied the game on Corey Perry’s 11th of the season. Kasperi Kapanen found Perry for a one-timer which was stopped, but he found his own rebound and went backhand, past the sprawling goaltender.

Then, the Avalanche re-took the lead on Artturi Lehkonen’s 23rd goal of the season. Devon Toews made a great play at his own blue line and found MacKinnon for a 2-on-1 opportunity. His backhand saucer pass landed on Lehkonen’s tape and he made no mistake. Defence and goaltending were optional in that opening frame as Colorado had a 3-2 lead with a 12-11 shot advantage. As a result, Skinner was pulled heading into the middle period, being replaced by Calvin Pickard.

The Avalanche extended their lead with a shorthanded marker 6:39 into the second period. A brutal giveaway by Evan Bouchard resulted in Makar going upstairs, past Pickard for his second of the game. Then, on the same power play, the Oilers cut the lead to one. Perry took the puck to the net and jammed it through the legs of goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood for his second of the game as well.

Then, Draisaitl tied the game for his 40th of the season during a coincidental 4-on-4 opportunity. His initial shot was stopped, but he pounced on the rebound and scored from his knees. This game was deadlocked at four heading into the third period with Edmonton having a 21-19 shot advantage.

However, with under five minutes remaining, Martin Necas gave Colorado a 5-4 lead. MacKinnon’s shot was stopped, but he retrieved his own rebound and found Necas for a one-timer which sealed the deal, and gave MacKinnon his fourth point of the contest.

Both teams return to action on Saturday, Feb. 22 following the 4 Nations Face-Off break. The Oilers begin a five-game Eastern Conference road trip against the Philadelphia Flyers, while the Avalanche are on the road for a back-to-back set against the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues.