ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Nathan MacKinnon, Andre Burakovsky, Brandon Saad and J.T. Compher scored in a four-goal second period, and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Minnesota Wild 5-4 on Monday night to extend their league-best points streak to 15 games (13-0-2).
The franchise record is 16 outings with a point from Dec. 27, 2000-Jan. 30, 2001, when the Avalanche went 12-0-3-1 during their Stanley Cup-winning season.
Gabriel Landeskog also scored, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 shots for his fourth straight win. At 12-0-1 in his last 13 outings, Grubauer set a franchise record for the longest stretch with a point by a goaltender. Patrick Roy (Oct. 23-Nov. 22, 1996) and Peter Budaj (Feb. 24-March 23, 2007) held the previous record.
Ryan Hartman had a goal and two assists for Minnesota, which had won 11 straight at Xcel Energy Center since losing 5-1 to Colorado Jan. 30. Nick Bjustad and Marcus Johannsson scored in the third period as the Wild tried to rally, and Kevin Fiala scored on a power-play with 35 seconds left, but Minnesota couldnt get the equalizer.
MacKinnon, who has four goals and six assists in his past six games, scored on a breakaway 18 seconds into a dominant middle period, converting a perfect stretch pass from Samuel Girard. Burakovsky buried a rebound of Girards shot that Cam Talbot couldnt hold onto 71 seconds later.
Talbot made 31 saves but lost in regulation for the first time in seven outings.
Saad cross-checked Jared Spurgeon to the ice moments before scoring on a rebound at 15:48, and Compher redirected a shot from Cale Makar a couple minutes later. The Avalanche outshot Minnesota 20-5 in the period.
Colorado has outscored Minnesota 16-5 in the last three games, also winning 5-1 and 6-0 at home March 18 and 20.
For the first time this season, the Wild played before more than a handful of friends and family. With 3,000 fans in attendance, a Lets Go Wild! chant began immediately after the opening faceoff.
It may have helped because the Wild dominated early before Hartman scored off a feed from Bjugstad 8:40 in. Hartman then did a small wave to the fans before celebrating with his teammates.
ROSTER UPDATES
D Kyle Burroughs made his NHL debut for Colorado and dropped Bjugstad in a third-period fight. ... Wild LW Zach Parise, who was removed from COVID-19 protocol Saturday, took part in the morning skate but did not play. ... RW Mats Zuccarello missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. There is no timetable for his return.
UP NEXT
The teams meet for the final time this season Wednesday in Minnesota.
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