Avalanche take control early en route to rout of Senators

Field Level Media|published: Thu 20th March, 21:52 2025

NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple Leafs

Mar 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar (center) talks to his late during the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Brock Nelson scored his first two goals as a member of the Colorado Avalanche, leading the visitors to a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Cale Makar scored a goal and added an assist while Nathan MacKinnon and Joel Kiviranta also tallied for Colorado (42-25-3, 87 points), which improved to 9-1-1 in its last 11.

Scott Wedgewood made 15 saves and both Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton recorded a pair of assists as the Avalanche improved to 27-11-2 when scoring first this season.

Dylan Cozens had the lone goal for Ottawa (36-27-5, 77 points), which has lost back-to-back games after having its stretch of eight games with a point (7-0-1) come to an end in Tuesday's loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Linus Ullmark allowed four goals on 13 shots before being replaced by Anton Forsberg, who stopped 18 shots.

The Avalanche scored four times in a seven-minute span, including twice in 59 seconds, and led 4-0 after one period.

MacKinnon opened the scoring at 10:29 of the first, snapping a shot between the pads of Ullmark, ending a five-game goalless drought.

The Avalanche doubled its lead at 11:28 as Nelson beat Ullmark glove-side for his first as a member of Colorado. Nelson, who was acquired by the Avalanche from the Islanders before the NHL trade deadline, had gone six games without a goal.

Makar made it 3-0, beating a screened Ullmark bar down on a power play at 14:23 for his 26th of the season.

The Avalanche took a 4-0 lead at 17:29 of the first as Kiviranta put a shot post and in past Ullmark, ending the Senators' starter's night.

Nelson netted his second of the night on a power play at 1:54 of the second period, tipping an Artturi Lehkonen shot past Forsberg for his 22nd of the season.

Ottawa got on the board on a power play with 4:01 remaining in the third as Cozens snapped a shot glove side past Wedgewood.

Thursday was the second and final meeting of the season between the Avalanche and Senators. Colorado edged Ottawa 5-4 on Oct. 27 in Denver.

--Field Level Media

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