Nathan MacKinnon delivers off big hits, scoring as Avalanche seize a 2-0 edge in series with Wild
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon is known for his speed and his scoring. He can deliver some big hits, too.
The Colorado Avalanche forward crunched Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes and Matt Boldy in the third period as part of a big game where he scored a goal and notched two assists.
Just Nate being playoff Nate.
He downplayed the hits after a 5-2 win in Game 2 on Tuesday night gave Colorado a 2-0 lead in the second-round series with the Wild. He was modest about his offensive production as well.
“Just excited to play,” said MacKinnon, who scored a league-leading 53 goals in the regular season. “Playoff hockey, obviously, the best the time of year. Just excited and just trying to have a good start.”
MacKinnon joined some exclusive company with his third straight three-point playoff game. The only players to accomplish that feat over the last 40 years are Leon Draisaitl (2022), Mikko Rantanen (2025), Joe Pavelski (2010), Joe Sakic (1997) and Dennis Maruk (1986), according to NHL Stats.
“He was unbelievable tonight on both sides of the puck,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “The physicality, the defending details, the hunger to check pucks back in all three zones, and the speed and pace that he played with early in the game — it was like he was shot out of a cannon.”
His teammates concurred.
“Having Nate makes my job a lot easier, for sure,” captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “He’s our driving force offensively and tonight, really since the playoffs started, defensively, he’s been a beast as well.”
MacKinnon was credited with two hits in the game — one on Hughes, which knocked the talented defenseman to the ice, and another on Boldy, who went hard into the boards.
“It wasn’t that big of a hit,” MacKinnon said of his collision with Hughes. “He’s one of the best players in the world and he’s so hard to contain and you’re just trying to do the best that you can. He’s going to create a lot of stuff. I think everyone’s being more physical. The whole team is trying to ramp that up.”
The Wild head home for Game 3 on Saturday searching for answers. They tried a new goaltender for Game 2 — going with Filip Gustavsson over Jesper Wallstedt — but the Avalanche still scored five goals. That, coupled with their nine-goal spurt in Game 1, gives them 14 for the series. It’s the most in the first two games of a playoff series since the Calgary Flames had 15 against the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.
“They’re a great team. They play super-fast, super-dynamic,” Boldy said. “Obviously, they have some incredible players. The biggest thing is just staying above them and not giving them those odd-man rushes, because obviously they’re pretty special players make special plays.”
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl