MacKinnon, Landeskog rally Avs past Sens

[October 27, 2018]  Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog scored in a three-goal barrage to start the third period, and the Colorado Avalanche rallied to beat the Ottawa Senators 6-3 in Denver on Friday night.

MacKinnon and Landeskog each added two assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists and Samuel Girard, Carl Soderberg and Matt Nieto also scored for the Avalanche, who spoiled the return of former teammate Matt Duchene.

Duchene had two goals to help Ottawa take a 3-2 lead after the second period, but Colorado came storming back in the third.

Craig Anderson, also a former Avalanche player, had 31 saves.

Soderberg tied it on the power play a minute into the third period when his pass to the front of the net went off Anderson's skate and in. It was his fourth of the season. Landeskog gave the Avalanche the lead with his ninth goal of the season at 6:14, and MacKinnon made it 5-3 with a goal 2:24 later. It was also his ninth of the season.

The Avalanche sealed it with Nieto's second of the season at 15:33.

Philipp Grubauer stopped 21 shots in his first home start for Colorado. Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie had three assists.

Duchene's demand for a trade from Colorado was fulfilled last November when the Senators acquired him as part of a three-team deal. The Avalanche paid tribute to their former first-round pick midway through the first period, and he scored his first goal on a redirection five seconds later that gave Ottawa a 2-0 lead.

Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) controls the puck in the second period against the Ottawa Senators at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado got within a goal when Girard, one of the assets acquired in the Duchene trade, got his first of the season at 10:20 of the second period. Duchene muted the celebration when he scored 12 seconds later on a feed from Colin White, who finished with two assists.

Rantanen responded on the power play exactly four minutes later when his one-timer off a cross-zone pass from MacKinnon beat Anderson to make it 3-2.

Ryan Dzingel got the scoring started just 2:42 into the game when he roofed a shot over Grubauer's shoulder for his third goal of the season.

--Field Level Media

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