Avalanche-led Nathan MacKinnon edge Red Wings for 5th straight win

DETROIT — Nathan MacKinnon scored a game-winning goal with a flurry of speed and a deft wrist shot midway through the second period to help the Colorado Avalanche pull away for a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. .

Devon Toews scored early in the game and Bowen Byram gave Colorado a two-goal lead late in the second after MacKinnon’s shot broke a defender’s stick. Lars Eller scored a goal and Mikko Rantanen netted his 46th early in the third, ending Ville Husso’s day after allowing five goals on just 21 shots.

MacKinnon also had an assist and Alexandar Georgiev made 33 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who won five straight games for the third time this season.

Pius Suter led Detroit to a 1-all tie in the first half and Magnus Hellberg finished with two saves, replacing Husso for over 14 minutes.

The Red Wings went 0-2 on the power play in the first period and had a chance to score shorthanded late in the second, but Georgiev stopped Adam Erne’s shot.

Detroit has lost nine of its last 11 games, fading for a wildcard and a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

REMARKS

Colorado won five straight for the third straight month, including a six-game streak in January. … Red Wings Dr. Ben Chiarot has an upper-body injury and is expected to be out for at least a week. … MacKinnon, the No. 1 overall pick in 2013, scored at least 30 goals for the fifth time in his career. … Detroit’s 6-foot-6, 209-pound defenseman Simon Edvinsson, the No. 6 overall pick in 2021, made his NHL debut. … MacKinnon and Cole Makar have at least one point in eight straight games.

FOLLOWING

Avalanche: host Chicago on Monday.

Red Wings: Host Florida on Monday.

Want more avalanche news? Sign up to Avalanche Insider to get all of our NHL analysis.