MacKinnon extends home point streak to 30 games, Avs blank Blackhawks
DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 30 games with two goals and two assists, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 on Monday night.
Jonathan Drouin, Cale Makar and Zach Parise also scored for the Avalanche, who improved to a league-best 24-6-0 at home this season. Justus Annunen stopped 37 shots.
MacKinnon’s home point streak is the second-longest to start a season in NHL history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky’s 40-game run in 1988-89. MacKinnon's big night also was his 33rd multipoint game of the season.
Chicago was blanked by Annunen for a second time in less than a week. It was the Blackhawks' 22nd straight loss on the road (0-21-1). Their last win away from home was Nov. 9 in Tampa against the Lightning.
Petr Mrazek, under constant duress, made 32 saves.
The Avalanche went 3-1 against the Blackhawks this season, outscoring them by a 16-3 margin.
MacKinnon jump-started the scoring in the first period and added his 39th goal in the third on a power play. He is closing in on his third career 40-goal season, which would be the fourth-most in franchise history. MacKinnon trails Michel Goulet (seven), Joe Sakic (five) and Peter Stastny (five).
Drouin scored his first goal since Jan. 13 late in the first to make it 2-0. Makar also stopped a drought with his first goal since Feb. 6. Makar also had an assist to give him 233 for his career and move past Tyson Barrie for most assists by a defenseman in franchise history.
Colorado was without defenseman Josh Manson (lower body) and forward Valeri Nichushkin, who could be back in the lineup soon after he recently entered the follow-up care phase of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. He turned 29 on Monday.
Avalanche defenseman Caleb Jones got bragging rights over his big brother and Chicago defenseman Seth Jones, picking up an assist to go with the win. The siblings played together with the Blackhawks, but Monday marked the inaugural time they shared the ice as rivals in an NHL contest.
They had family in the stands, too, including their dad, Popeye, who is an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets.
The brothers remain workout buddies in the offseason, where drills can turn “super-competitive,” Seth Jones cracked after morning skate.
“But it only makes us better,” he said.
Same with their one-on-one basketball games.
“There are no free layups,” Jones said. “You’re getting fouled hard out there, and so that turns pretty heated as well.”