MacKinnon Leads Avalanche to 5-4 Overtime Win Against Canucks
VANCOUVER — Gavin Brindley scored 68 seconds into overtime, securing a 5-4 NHL victory for the Colorado Avalanche over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.
Jake DeBrusk of Vancouver forced the overtime by deflecting a Brock Boeser pass during a power play with just 3:01 remaining in the third period.
Key Performances for Colorado
- Artturi Lehkonen scored twice in the third period, including one power-play goal.
- Nathan MacKinnon contributed two goals within 1:28 of each other, including a power-play score, building a 2-0 lead in the first period. He also assisted three times, totaling five points.
- Valeri Nichushkin added two assists, helping the Avalanche maintain their league-best 10-1-5 record.
- Cale Makar, leading all defensemen with 21 points from 6 goals and 15 assists, contributed two assists.
Canucks’ Scorers
- Drew O’Connor scored short-handed.
- Linus Karlsson dazzled with a goal featuring a between-the-legs play.
- Kiefer Sherwood, off a turnover, netted his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Game Context
Both teams entered the game coming off wins from Saturday night. Vancouver edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3, while Colorado dominated the Edmonton Oilers 9-1.
Vancouver’s goalie Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves in his second consecutive start, while Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots.
“Goaltender Thatcher Demko did not dress for the second consecutive game after missing practice Friday.”
Colorado’s consistent depth scoring and timely plays made the difference in a tightly contested match.
Summary: MacKinnon’s five-point effort and Brindley’s overtime goal propelled the Avalanche to a hard-fought 5-4 win over the Canucks, extending Colorado’s strong season start.
Would you like the summary to be more analytical or straightforward?