Nathan MacKinnon scored one goal and assisted on two others. At the same time, Justus Annunen had an impressive game with 44 saves as the Colorado Avalanche secured a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
Jonathan Drouin, who recently joined the Avalanche, contributed with two goals and an assist. The win was crucial for Colorado as they aim to close the gap on Dallas, who currently leads the Central Division and Western Conference standings by three points.
On the other hand, the Wild’s chances of making it to the playoffs are diminishing with each loss.
Despite facing numerous shots, Annunen stood strong in goal, making crucial saves throughout the game. He credited his teammates for their support in keeping the Wild’s attacks at bay.
The Avalanche took the lead in the first period with goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Drouin. Drouin’s power-play goal drew some controversy due to a tripping penalty called on Kirill Kaprizov, which led to Minnesota’s frustration.
Drouin continued his scoring streak in the second period, notching his second goal of the night early on. Although Declan Chisholm managed to pull one back for the Wild with a power-play goal, MacKinnon extended Colorado’s lead in the third period.
Mikko Rantanen sealed the victory for the Avalanche with an empty-net goal late in the game.
With the win, the Avalanche remains in contention for the top spot in the division, while the Wild face an uphill battle to secure a playoff spot with seven games left in the season.
