MacKinnon pushes streak to 13, Avalanche top Flames for 4th win in row

CALGARY -- Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to 13 games for the Colorado Avalanche, who defeated the Calgary Flames 6-2 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.

MacKinnon, who has 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) during his streak, also set an NHL career high with 113 points (41 goals, 72 assists) in 66 games. He finished with 111 points (42 goals, 69 assists) in 71 games last season.

"It's just who he is," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "The drive to be the best player he can be... keep improving his game in little areas and whether it's just a fraction in one area that helps him get better and a fraction in another one, he's constantly looking to improve. He seeks out any knowledge he can get to help make him better.

"He does it on the ice. He does it off the ice. He does it in his preparation. And that's why he's continuing to improve. He's not slowing down. He's getting better and better every year."

Mikko Rantanen had two goals and two assists, and Valeri Nichushkin had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche (41-20-5), who have won four in a row and six of seven. Justus Annunen made 25 saves.

"It's big, obviously, to get the confidence boost before we go to the playoffs because there's a lot of good teams in the West, a lot of additions at the (NHL Trade) Deadline that teams made," Rantanen said. "It's going to be tough, tough. If you want to win the West, it's going to be really tough. We want to get confidence in the last 15 or so games."

Daniil Miromanov and Walker Duehr scored for the Flames (31-29-5), who have lost three straight and four of five after a season-high five-game winning streak. Dan Vladar allowed six goals on 35 shots before he was replaced at the start of the third period by Dustin Wolf, who saved all three shots he faced.

"I think we got three good lessons here, simple as that," Calgary captain Mikael Backlund said. "Everyone in this room has to look at himself and be better. Next game, we have to play a lot better than we have the last three. Regardless of the result, just better effort, better systems, structure. Everything's got to be better."

Colorado scored five straight goals in the second period after trailing 2-1.

Josh Manson tied it 2-2 at 4:52 with a slap shot from the right point.

MacKinnon put the Avalanche ahead 3-2 at 5:50 with a one-timer from the left face-off circle over Vladar's left shoulder.

"I think when you're playing against him or even watching him, it might make you a little angry just wondering how he does it," Colorado forward Casey Mittelstadt said of MacKinnon. "He's a great player. There's very few guys in the world that can do that."

Nichushkin extended it to 4-2 at 7:53, taking a cross-ice pass from Rantanen and scoring with a snap shot in the slot.

Mittelstadt pushed it to 5-2 at 14:10. He shot past Vladar's blocker on a partial breakaway set up by Brandon Duhaime in the neutral zone for his first goal for Colorado since he was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on March 7.

"I don't think effort's ever been an issue, really. We work hard out there," Flames forward Nazem Kadri said. "Obviously, there's some plays that we wouldn't want to happen. I don't know if it's an effort thing. It's more of a lapse of judgement, bad reads. Effort's never been an issue for us.”

Rantanen made it 6-2 at 19:14 with a snap shot from a tight angle below the left circle after Cale Makar’s shot ricocheted to him off the post.

"I think even if you were to ask me in Buffalo, I would've said Mikko is the most underrated player in the League, for sure," Mittelstadt said. "Just the plays, and the plays him and Nate make together is crazy. I'm happy to be on their side."

Rantanen gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 2:05 of the first period on the power play, putting in a cross-crease pass from Nichushkin.

Miromanov tied it 1-1 at 3:24 when he beat Annunen with a slap shot from the point. It was Miromanov's first goal of the season. He was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on March 6.

Duehr gave Calgary a 2-1 lead at 6:46, scoring his first goal in 31 games when he beat Annunen with a backhand in the slot off a 3-on-1 rush.

"We're all professionals. We've got to dig in," Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson said. "We play one of the best teams in the League and we're up 2-1 after the first period, and then, you know, before the third starts it's 6-2 them. It's frustrating. It's not acceptable."

NOTES: Colorado has outscored opponents 20-5 in its winning streak. ... Calgary has been outscored 18-5 in its losing streak. ... Rantanen has 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) during a 10-game point streak. He has had at least one assist in each of those 10 games. ... Rantanen has 601 points (253 goals, 348 assists) in 556 games, becoming the third-fastest Finland-born player in NHL history to reach the 600-point mark, behind Jari Kurri (419 GP) and Teemu Selanne (455 GP). ... Flames forwards Andrew Mangiapane (illness) and Andrei Kuzmenko (upper body) did not play. Goalie Jacob Markstrom also did not play because of a lower-body injury announced earlier Tuesday.