Nathan MacKinnon, Avs clobber Blackhawks

Field Level Media|published: Mon 4th March, 23:59 2024

Mar 4, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA;Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates his his goal during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Ball Arena. credits: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists, Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and an assist and Justus Annunen made 37 saves as the Colorado Avalanche routed the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 on Monday in Denver.

Chicago was shut out by Colorado for the second time in five days while losing its seventh game in a row overall. The Blackhawks haven't won on the road since Nov. 9 at Tampa Bay, a 22-game skid.

MacKinnon provided the only scoring the Avalanche needed at 12:31 of the first period. Chicago's Jason Dickinson unsuccessfully sprawled to intercept a cross-ice pass from Devon Toews to MacKinnon, leaving plenty of room for MacKinnon to skate through the right circle and beat Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek with a wrist shot.

Drouin made it 2-0 less than five minutes later, wristing a shot past Mrazek following a Blackhawks turnover in the neutral zone.

Offense remained a difficult proposition for the Blackhawks, who were blanked for the ninth time this season — with Colorado doing the trick on three occasions.

Chicago needed nearly eight minutes to register a shot on goal against Annunen, but the drought still produced a scoring chance. Annunen turned aside a Taylor Raddysh tip-in attempt before denying Ryan Donato twice in short succession.

Annunen was especially sharp early in the second period, when he stopped Connor Bedard on a breakaway.

After losing three of his first four starts this season, Annunen has defeated the Blackhawks two times in a row, stopping all 61 shots he has faced.

Colorado, which outscored Chicago 16-3 to win three of four meetings between the teams this season, put the game out of reach when Makar and Zach Parise scored in a five-minute span in the second period.

MacKinnon capped the scoring with a power-play goal at 15:35 of the third. Nick Foligno nearly ended the shutout bid in the final minute, but Annunen stopped a point-blank chance with a right-pad save.

Mrazek made 32 saves.

The Avalanche bolstered their NHL-best home record, improving to 24-6-0 at Ball Arena.

MacKinnon extended his point streak to 10 games and has at least one point in all 30 home games this season.

—Field Level Media

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