Artturi Lehkonen made an unforgettable return to Colorado Avalanche lineup on Wednesday, scoring an essential power-play goal that proved pivotal to their win against Seattle Kraken 6-3. Additionally, Nathan MacKinnon contributed five assists.
Avalanche Ends Losing Streak with Rantanen’s Scoring
Mikko Rantanen scored twice to lead Colorado back from three consecutive losses and help end Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon’s respective 13-game point streaks this season. Ivan Ivan, Nikolai Kovalenko and Chris Wagner each provided significant contributions towards Colorado’s victory; Cale Makar even contributed two assists despite potential injury concerns to further increase MacKinnon and Rantanen’s potential point totals this evening.
Lehkonen’s Impactful Game After Recovery
Returning to play post-offseason shoulder surgery, Lehkonen immediately made his mark. His goal at 6:44 in the second period broke a 2-2 tie, thanks to an assist from MacKinnon. Rantanen capitalized on another power-play opportunity shortly after, solidifying the Avalanche’s lead despite Seattle’s unsuccessful challenge of the goal following a review.
Kraken’s Persistent Challenges
The Kraken saw goals from Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz, and Brandon Montour but continued to struggle, marking a 3-7-1 record in their recent regular-season matches against the Avalanche.
Annunen’s Crucial Contributions in Goal
Goalie Justus Annunen stopped 17 shots for the Avalanche, playing a key role in five of the team’s six victories this season.
Lehkonen Boosts Injury-Afflicted Avalanche
Lehkonen’s return and consequential goal injected much-needed energy into an Avalanche team missing key players due to injuries. His performance was especially significant given the absences of Ross Colton, Gabriel Landeskog, Jonathan Drouin, and Valeri Nichushkin.
MacKinnon and Makar Extend Remarkable Point Streaks
MacKinnon and Makar have accomplished one of the longest active point streaks within NHL, reflecting their outstanding and ongoing contributions to their respective team’s success.
Looking Ahead
On Friday night, The Kraken are set to face Las Vegas while on Thursday the Avalanche will play Winnipeg.