The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Utah Hockey Club 4-1 on Friday night, with Artturi Lehkonen leading the charge by scoring a hat trick. Mackenzie Blackwood was strong in goal for Colorado, making 34 saves and securing his fourth win in five starts since joining the team from San Jose. Earlier in the day, Blackwood signed a five-year, $26.5 million contract extension with the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen also scored for Colorado, and Nathan MacKinnon contributed three assists as the team extended its winning streak to four games.
The game began with a scoreless first period, but Colorado broke the deadlock early in the second. Lehkonen opened the scoring when he tapped in a pass from MacKinnon with 8:08 left. Utah responded in the third period with a power-play goal from Nick Schmaltz, who tapped in a rebound from Mikhail Sergachev’s blast, tying the game at 1-1. However, Lehkonen quickly put Colorado back on top with a second goal, finishing a rebound around Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka’s outstretched skate at 5:16.
The Avalanche continued to dominate in the final minutes, with Lehkonen completing his hat trick by scoring an empty-net goal with 1:57 left. Rantanen also scored an empty-netter, sealing the victory for Colorado. Blackwood’s stellar performance in goal and the team’s aggressive offensive play were key to the win, with Colorado putting pressure on Utah’s defense throughout the game.
For Utah, the loss was another setback, as the team has struggled at home, winning only one of its last ten games. Despite strong defensive efforts, Utah failed to generate consistent offensive pressure, particularly in the first two periods, where they only managed seven shots on goal in the second period. The team’s inability to score early in the game ultimately cost them, even after Schmaltz’s power-play goal briefly tied the game.
Colorado’s victory also highlighted their perfect record this season when leading after two periods, improving to 16-0. The Avalanche will next face Winnipeg at home on Tuesday, while Utah will travel to Seattle on Monday, hoping to bounce back from their recent struggles.
