Cale Makar had a power-play goal and an assist, Parker Kelly scored shorthanded and the Colorado Avalanche capitalized on special teams to get a 4-2 win over the Ducks on Friday night.
Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks. John Gibson made 19 saves, including a penalty shot by Samuel Girard with 5:24 left in the third, but lost for the fifth time in six starts.
Jacob Trouba got his first point as a Duck since being traded from the New York Rangers on Dec. 6 when Carlsson redirected the veteran defenseman’s shot early in the second.
Nathan MacKinnon had an empty-net goal and two assists, Valeri Nichushkin also scored and the Avalanche picked up where they left off after scoring twice on the power play in a 4-2 win at San José on Thursday night. Scott Wedgewood made 29 saves.
Kelly tied it 1-1 on a two-on-one shorthanded rush in the second, and Nichushkin put Colorado ahead midway through the period. Makar made it 3-1 with a wrist shot early in the third, picking up his fifth power-play goal and 18th point with a man advantage.
MacKinnon became the first player in the NHL to pass the 40-assist mark this season, picking up the secondary helper on Nichushkin’s goal and the primary on Makar’s.
The Avalanche’s decision to overhaul their goaltending has paid off so far, with Colorado winning six of nine games with Wedgewood or Mackenzie Blackwood starting in net.