Nichushkin returns, lifts Avalanche past Wild in OT

DENVER -- Valeri Nichushkin scored a power-play goal at 2:32 of overtime in his first game in nearly two months, and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 at Ball Arena on Friday.

Nichushkin last played Jan. 10 prior to entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Jan. 15 and missing 22 games.

“It's great to have him back, and it's great to see the support he's getting, too, from our fans,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “It can help a guy mentally when he's feeling supported by the community and by our fans. I think it's important, and to be able to come out after not playing for as long as it's been for him and then go out and get the OT winner, I mean no better start to his return.”

Nathan MacKinnon had two assists to extend his season-opening home point streak to 32 games, and Artturi Lehkonen scored for the Avalanche (40-20-5), who have won three straight and four of their past five. Alexandar Georgiev made 29 saves.

MacKinnon has 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists) during his streak, which is tied with Guy Lafleur (1978-79) for the third-longest in NHL history and the longest since Wayne Gretzky's 33-game home streak in 1985-86. Gretzky owns the NHL record for the longest season-opening home point streak at 40 games (Los Angeles Kings, 1988-89).

"It's a tough game to play. Four new faces, or five with Val coming back, and that's how it usually goes,” MacKinnon said. “Guys are trying to be nice and make extra passes to each other, I think, and that's just guys being good teammates and trying to be nice to each other. But we got simpler as the game went on, and we really started to get our forecheck going and had a ton of chances in the third. I thought we played a great third.”

Brock Faber scored, and Filip Gustavsson made 38 saves for the Wild (30-27-7), who were coming off a 5-2 win at the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday and had won two straight.

“I thought it was a hard-fought battle by both teams, and it was highly competitive,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “I thought both teams had some strong pushes. I was proud of our effort, coming in here in a back-to-back. Three out of four points on this road trip, going through the things.

“We weren't a team that added what you think you'd get a boost [from], but I really give our guys a lot of credit in the way that they stayed focused over the last couple of days and played some pretty good hockey.”

Lehkonen gave Colorado a 1-0 lead 40 seconds into the first period, receiving a backhand pass from MacKinnon from behind the net and tucking it five-hole.

“It was a great pass from Nate,” Lehkonen said. “I was all by myself in front of the net. So, I just tried to slide it underneath. Of course, it's a good thing to start off a game when you get the lead.”

Faber tied it 1-1 at 10:44 of the second period with a wrist shot from the right face-off circle.

“Tough back-to-back against a good, fresh hockey team,” Faber said. “It’s that time of year where we need two points,” said Faber. “I think everyone’s kind of on the same page. We’re pretty frustrated.”

Mats Zuccarello missed a penalty shot wide right at 14:05 of the third period after Andrew Cogliano shoveled a broken stick at him while he had the puck.

“[Georgiev] was great. I don't know much about him I guess, as a whole, but first impression was very impressive,” said forward Casey Mittelstadt, who made his Avalanche debut after being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. “He set the bar extremely high. He was great tonight, and obviously Gustavsson was good on the other side.”

Devon Toews appeared to have scored the go-ahead goal at 17:40 of the third period, but Minnesota successfully challenged the play for offside and the goal was overturned after video review.

NOTES: MacKinnon recorded his first career 70-assist season. The last Avalanche player to have as many in a season was Peter Forsberg (77 in 2002-03). … MacKinnon extended his point streak to 12 games (eight goals, 18 assists). … Mikko Rantanen extended his point streak to nine games (two goals, 12 assists), a new career high. … Faber (six goals, 31 assists in 64 games) passed Marian Gaborik (36 in 2000-01) for the third-most points by a rookie in franchise history (Kirill Kaprizov, 51 in 200-21) and Matt Boldy (39 in 2021-22). … Marcus Foligno returned after missing the past 12 games with a lower-body injury. … Along with Mittelstadt, forwards Brandon Duhaime (from the Wild on Thursday) and Yakov Trenin (from the Nashville Predators on Thursday), and defenseman Sean Walker (from the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday) each made their debut for Colorado after being acquired in trades this week.