Friday night’s NHL action saw Nathan MacKinnon score the game-winner for the Colorado Avalanche, the Winnipeg Jets overwhelm the San Jose Sharks, and the Carolina Hurricanes secure a solid road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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Avalanche 4, Ducks 3 (OT)
Nathan MacKinnon came through in overtime, netting his second goal of the season to help the Colorado Avalanche notch their first victory of the season, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in Denver.
Key Moments:
- Ross Colton scored twice in the third period for Colorado, including a go-ahead goal midway through the period.
- Mikko Rantanen provided three assists, continuing his strong start to the season.
- Casey Mittelstadt contributed a goal and an assist, while Alexandar Georgiev made 17 saves.
- Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, and Ryan Strome scored for Anaheim, and goalie Lukas Dostal stood tall with 45 saves.
MacKinnon’s winner came after he weaved through three Ducks defenders and fired a shot that eventually slipped past Dostal. The win allowed Colorado to avoid their first 0-5-0 start since moving to Denver in 1995.
Jets 8, Sharks 3
The Winnipeg Jets dominated the San Jose Sharks, cruising to an 8-3 victory at home.
Key Moments:
- Cole Perfetti led the offensive explosion with two goals and two assists.
- Nikolaj Ehlers tallied two goals and one assist, and both Vladislav Namestnikov and Neal Pionk added a goal and three assists each.
- Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor also found the back of the net for the Jets, who moved to 4-0-0 — their best start to a season in franchise history.
Winnipeg finished with four power-play goals and now shares the top spot in the Central Division with the Dallas Stars. The Sharks, who are still winless at 0-3-2, saw goals from Tyler Toffoli, Luke Kunin, and Fabian Zetterlund.
Sharks’ goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was replaced by Vitek Vanecek after allowing five goals on 18 shots in just over 21 minutes.
Hurricanes 4, Penguins 1
The Carolina Hurricanes secured their first road victory of the season with a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh.
Key Moments
- Martin Necas had a goal and an assist, leading a balanced offensive effort for Carolina.
- Jackson Blake, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jack Roslovic also scored for the Hurricanes.
- Frederik Andersen made 25 saves for his first win of the season.
Drew O’Connor scored the lone goal for Pittsburgh, which saw its two-game win streak snapped. Goalie Joel Blomqvist made 35 saves, but Pittsburgh struggled offensively, managing only 26 shots and going scoreless in the third period.
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Post-Match Reactions
Nathan MacKinnon on His Overtime Winner
“I just saw the opening and went for it. We really needed this win, and it feels great to finally get on the board this season.”
Cole Perfetti on Winnipeg’s Best Start
“Our chemistry is clicking, and everyone is contributing. It’s a special start to the season for us, but we’re just taking it one game at a time.”
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Looking Ahead
Carolina heads into its next game with confidence after a solid road win, while Pittsburgh will seek to regroup after a frustrating offensive performance.
Colorado looks to build momentum after finally securing a win, while Anaheim will try to bounce back after a tough overtime loss.
Winnipeg will aim to extend their hot start and maintain their place atop the Central Division.
