MacKinnon has four points, Avalanche defeat Lightning to get back on track

DENVER -- Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists for the Colorado Avalanche in a 6-3 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena on Friday.

“Obviously, a good start tonight. Beat one of the best teams in the League, so that's always good,” MacKinnon said.

Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, Artturi Lehkonen and Devon Toews each had a goal and an assist, and Nazem Kadri scored his first goal of the season for the Avalanche (6-4-1), who had lost two straight and three of their past four (1-2-1). Mackenzie Blackwood made 31 saves.

“That was probably our most complete effort of the year,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “Close as you can get with all the penalties in the second period. I thought we had a great first, 5-on-5 in the second was really good. I mean, you're killing, like I think we had six straight penalties right, when it all adds up at one point in the game.

“So you're only using half your bench. The challenge was going to be having those guys stay in it, but then they had a good third period, too.”

Jake Guentzel scored twice, and Charle-Edouard D'Astous had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (7-3-0), who had won three straight and seven of their past eight. Brayden Point had two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 18 saves.

"When we've had some prolonged time off, for whatever reason, it's hurt our team. We were off,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “It's a really good team over there. You go down 2-0 five minutes into the game, now you're chasing it. So, they did what they had to do. They came out flying, we didn't, and they got the lead and we were kind of playing catch-up the rest of the way.

“Ultimately, we had like almost 80 shot attempts, and 45 of them were either blocked or we missed the net. That's an issue.”

Nikita Kucherov, who entered the game with 1,137 career points, remained one away from surpassing Steven Stamkos for sole possession of the Lightning’s all-time points record.

Toews gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 1:08 of the first period when he finished a crossing pass from Necas past the stick of a sprawling Vasilevskiy and into the open net. MacKinnon fed Necas cutting down into the slot, where he sent the puck back out to Toews in the left circle.

“I saw him. It's a little tougher to see with the bubble,” Necas said, “but I knew right away, before I got the puck, that he's going to be there.”

Kadri’s power-play goal extended it to 2-0 at 5:52. He one-timed T.J. Hughes’ pass from below the goal line far side off Vasilevskiy from the left circle.

“I think it was good today. Everybody contributed, and that's what we need,” Necas said.

Fedor Svechkov pushed it to 3-0 just 24 seconds into the second period when he batted his own blocked pass out of the air and inside the left post. Svechkov looked to pass across to Hughes on a 2-on-1, but Vasilevskiy got a stick on it and sent the puck airborne.

“Big, strong guy,” Bednar said. “Can protect pucks and play with guys on his back. He's got really good sense. He checks the right way. I think that line has a little chemistry too. So, when they've been good, they've been really good.”

Guentzel cut it to 3-1 on the power play at 8:13. Brock Nelson blocked D’Astous’ point shot and the puck caromed to Guentzel off the left post for the short side finish into the open net.

“I think we missed each other a lot out there,” Point said. “I don't think our support was close enough, and I don't think we played as a team enough. And then just the passing wasn't good enough. I mean, we turned a lot of pucks over, and a team like that, they'll capitalize.”

Lehkonen made it 4-1 at 13:57 after his snap shot from the left circle caromed in five-hole off the left leg of Erik Cernak. MacKinnon took the puck around the net and found Lehkonen in the circle to set up the sequence.

“Fun to watch. I see that in practice, how they can be creative and make plays that you didn't expect,” Blackwood said. “But when you see it in the game, and they're doing it at the highest level, it's pretty special. It's cool.”

Guentzel cut it to 4-2 at 19:17 just after the conclusion of a power play. He finished Point’s backhand pass from the slot at the right post. Colorado challenged the play for a missed stoppage, but video review upheld the initial call.

MacKinnon extended it to 5-2 at 4:18 of the third period when his wrist shot beat Vasilevskiy’s blocker short side from just inside the left dot. Lehkonen sprung MacKinnon in the neutral zone and he used his speed to create space.

“He's very underrated. He's always in a good spot,” Necas said of Lehkonen. “He creates so much space out there for me and (MacKinnon) to play a little bit around. Feels like every time he gets the puck, it's a chance. He's a great player. He plays great defense. You don't really find players like him.”

D’Astous made it 5-3 at 15:13 with a snap shot from the high slot that beat the blocker of Blackwood.

“We have a fast and skilled team, and when we do a lot of turnovers, like we did, it's not very good,” said D’Astous. "I think our start was not good enough. Definitely not good enough. It was pretty bad, like down 2-0 against that team, it's hard to come back.

“It's hard to play hockey when we're behind right away at the beginning, especially against that team. I think we're way better than that.”

Necas scored into an empty net at 17:19 for the 6-3 final.

NOTES: MacKinnon recorded his 45th career three-assist game, tying Joe Sakic for third in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history. Only Peter Stastny (47) and Peter Forsberg (46) have more. … Lehkonen extended his point streak to six games (six goals, three assists). … Colorado forward Logan O'Connor had three shots on goal in 14:47 of ice time in his season debut.