There were some excessive gasps Saturday afternoon at Ball Arena.
Gavin Brindley and Cale Makar both ended scoring droughts and the Avs earned a 3-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Makar scored twice, including one against an empty net, and Nathan MacKinnon had a pair of assists to help Colorado win for the second time in three games since a three-week pause for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sam Malinski’s second attempt from the top of the offensive zone set up a rebound near the left post, and Brindley was there to pounce on it at 7:31 of the third period. It was Brindley’s sixth goal of the season, but his first since December 11.
Brindley, acquired in an off-season trade from Columbus, got off to a fast start to his rookie season with Colorado, but had just two assists in his final 25 games before the go-ahead goal.
The Avs had three power-play chances in the second half, and part of a fourth came from the opening period. It was over six minutes with the man advantage, but Chicago ranked top on the penalty kill and Colorado remained last on the power play.
The home team didn’t score with an extra man in the period, but Makar’s goal with 8.3 seconds remaining in the middle frame was spiritually the tally for the top power-play unit. Oliver Moore came out of the box seven seconds before the goal, but the rest of the Blackhawks on the ice were gassed by a long PK shift, and the Avs took full advantage.
MacKinnon sent the puck from near the goal line to the left of Chicago’s goal to Makar in the right circle. He didn’t come close to maximum power on his one-time shot, but placed it well and goaltender Spencer Knight went the wrong way as the puck passed him.
It was Makar’s 16th goal of the season, but his first in nine games. He had no goals and no three points in the last eight games, which was his least productive stretch of the season.
Connor Bedard put Chicago on the board first with a power-play goal. Tyler Bertuzzi immediately chased Devon Toews, so the Avs defenseman took a penalty to prevent a scoring opportunity.
It took just 21 seconds for the Blackhawks to capitalize. Bertuzzi sent a cross to Bedard in the right circle, and a deadly release that helped him become the No. 1 pick. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft scored his 25th goal of the season. Colorado’s penalty kill reached the Olympic break ranked No. 1 in the rankings. 2 in the league, but Utah, Minnesota and Chicago have combined to score four goals with the man advantage in the last three games.
Colorado held a 14-4 edge in shots on goal through 20 minutes, but the Avs didn’t create many big chances in that period either. Similar to the previous two days against the Wild, the Avs found some mid-range scoring opportunities, but nothing too close to the net or plays where Knight had to come up big to keep the ball.
Makar’s empty-netter sealed the win for Colorado. After a 31-2-7 start, the Avs struggled. This win gets them back to “.500 hockey” from a historic start of 8-8-2 in the last 18 games.
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