MacKinnon extends point streak to 13, Avalanche ease past Sabres

DENVER -- Nathan MacKinnon had two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games, and the Colorado Avalanche won 5-1 against the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena on Wednesday.

MacKinnon has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) during his point streak, which is the longest active in the NHL. He also extended his season-opening home point streak to 15 games (nine goals, 19 assists).

“When a player goes through what he would call a slump, and I think he was still over a point a game but not real happy with the way maybe he was playing, his line was playing, they just kind of stuck with it and worked through it together and now they're kind of out the other side,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “They were working at it long before they got good, and then it started to come for them, and now they're feeling it a little bit. So, I think confidence and just playing the right way and doing the right things leads to really good results for them.”

Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, and Sam Malinski scored his first NHL goal and had an assist for the Avalanche (18-9-2), who have won two straight. Ivan Prosvetov made 29 saves.

“Really that was a perfect first period for us,” Bednar said. “I thought the third was a really mature period. We didn't have to do a lot, and Malinsky gets a big goal, right? Like, that's a big goal to stretch it out to 4-1, and then they're the team that has to push and we can just kind of make sure we're playing it safe. And so, I liked the finish to our game as well.”

Zach Benson scored, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 24 saves for the Sabres (12-15-3), who had a three-game point streak end (2-0-1).

“We win the opening draw, we can't move it up to make a simple play to get in, and that kind of exemplified the night. There was simple and direct to be had right there, and we didn't do it,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “When we work, we're a decent hockey team, so yeah, it's maddening. It's maddening every night when that doesn't happen.”

Rantanen gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 5:25 of the first period after he took a drop pass from MacKinnon and scored on a wraparound.

Nichushkin made it 2-0 at 10:28, scoring past a lunging Luukkonen after Fredrik Olofsson's wraparound at the left post popped out to him through the legs of JJ Peterka.

“Val's start to the game was insane," Bednar said. "I mean, he gets two partial breakaways charging through the middle of the ice. He probably could have had four goals in the first eight minutes of the game, and eventually he gets rewarded for his work.”

Miles Wood extended the lead to 3-0 at 11:55, electing to shoot on a 2-on-1 with Logan O'Connor and scoring blocker side from the right circle.

“[Malinski] did a little poke check there, and it just kind of freed me up there 2-on-1,” Wood said. “Basically had the whole ice, and I just shot low blocker side. Fortunate to get the goal there.”

Benson cut it to 3-1 at 18:38. He finished a rebound in front after Rasmus Dahlin's initial shot deflected to him off the shin of Josh Manson.

Buffalo had been outshot by Colorado 15-0 prior to Dahlin's attempt.

“They came out buzzing and we came out super flat, and when you're down 3-0 against a team like that, it's going be tough,” Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson said. “Tough start and then we settled in, but by that time it was tough to get our footing and tough to come back against a team like that."

Malinski, who was playing in his seventh NHL game, pushed it to 4-1 at 2:40 of the third period with a one-timer from the top of the left circle that went over the glove of Luukkonen.

“I saw it go low to high up to Jack (Johnson), and I think he saw me wide, but he was kind of trying to show a little deception and slid it over at the perfect time,” Malinski said. “I just kind of tried to throw it on net to be honest.”

Nichushkin made it 5-1 at 13:11 when he tapped in a backdoor pass from MacKinnon on a power play. The goal was his 100th in the NHL.

“He didn't tell me that before the game. He was working hard, like all morning. I'm like, 'Something's going to happen,' and then 100 goals,” Prosvetov said. “So, it's good for him. Great guy, great attitude too. Works hard. It's good to see him get rewarded with this 100th.”

NOTES: Sabres forward Jeff Skinner left in the second period with an upper-body injury. There was no update postgame. ... MacKinnon has 800 points (296 goals, 504 assists) in 738 career games. He is the fifth player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to reach the milestone. ... Johnson was playing his first game against the Avalanche since signing a one-year contract with the Sabres on July 1. He played his previous 13 seasons with Colorado, including helping it win the Stanley Cup in 2022.