Nathan MacKinnon gets Avalanche back on track in win over Caps

Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist to reach 1,100 career points, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 in Denver on Monday.

MacKinnon leads the NHL with 38 goals and is tied with Oilers star Connor McDavid for the scoring lead with 85 points.

Victor Olofsson had a goal and an assist, Parker Kelly and Artturi Lehkonen also scored, Martin Necas contributed two assists and Scott Wedgewood turned away 22 shots for Colorado, which snapped a two-game skid.

Valeri Nichushkin was a late scratch for the Avalanche.

Ethen Frank had a goal and an assist, Jakob Chychrun also scored and Charlie Lindgren made 39 saves for Washington, which opened its season-long six-game road trip with a loss.

Colorado went ahead 1-0 when Kelly tipped Cale Makar's shot past Lindgren at 5:54 of the first period. The Capitals tied it on their second power play 1:33 later when Chychrun's shot from the blueline beat Wedgewood.

It was Chychrun's 18th goal of the season, tying Zach Werenski of Columbus for the lead among defensemen.

Chychrun was given a four-minute penalty for high-sticking early in the second period, and the Avalanche cashed in on the back end of the double minor. MacKinnon stickhandled between three Washington players before wristing a shot under Lindgren's right arm at 7:03.

Colorado went ahead 3-1 later in the second when Olofsson cleaned up a rebound at 15:58. The Capitals responded just 17 seconds later when Alex Ovechkin stole the puck behind the net and fed it in front to Frank, who slid a backhander by Wedgewood.

The Avalanche had a brief 5-on-3 early in the third period but Brock Nelson's hooking penalty 27 seconds later turned it into a 4-on-3. He nearly atoned for his penalty when he got behind the Washington defense but Lindgren made a save to keep it a one-goal game.

Colorado appeared to take a 4-2 lead on a Makar goal at 11:05, but the Capitals successfully challenged for goaltender interference. Then Lehkonen scored at 12:32 to give the Avalanche a cushion.

MacKinnon sealed it with his second goal at 16:30.

--Field Level Media