Nichushkin hat trick lifts Avalanche past Maple Leafs for 5th straight win

Valeri Nichushkin had three goals and an assist for the Colorado Avalanche, who scored five straight goals to rally for their fifth straight win, 7-4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Ball Arena on Saturday.

Nathan MacKinnon had two goals, and Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle each had an assist in their debut for the Avalanche (38-24-2). Mackenzie Blackwood made 17 saves.

Mitch Marner and John Tavares each scored two twice, and Auston Matthews had three assists to push his point streak to 12 games (three goals, 15 assists) for the Maple Leafs (38-22-3), who have lost three straight (0-2-1). Anthony Stolarz made 27 saves.

Nichushkin scored to give Colorado a 1-0 lead just 56 second into the first period when he deflected Ryan Lindgren’s point shot past Stolarz while cutting through the left circle.

Marner tied it 1-1 at 3:04 with a wrist shot from the right circle that went far side past the blocker of Blackwood.

Nichushkin made it 2-1 at 6:08 when he snapped a shot from the right face-off dot that beat Stolarz short side.

Tavares tied it 2-2 with a wrist shot from just above the left hash marks that went short side over the shoulder at 12:51.

Marner gave Toronto a 3-2 lead at 16:04 when he one-timed Bobby McMann’s pass at the right dot.

Tavares extended the lead to 4-2 with a power-play goal at 12:45 of the second period. His snap shot from just below the hash marks went over Blackwood’s right shoulder.

Joel Kiviranta cut it to 4-3 at 15:11 when Ross Colton’s centering pass caromed off his skate and went between Stolarz’s pads.

Jonathan Drouin tied it 4-4 at 11:55 of the third period when he one-timed Coyle’s centering pass from behind the net at the left hash marks.

MacKinnon made it 5-4 with a power-play goal at 15:45. He sent a wrist shot from the left dot over Stolarz’s glove.

Nichushkin completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal to make it 6-4 at 18:06, and MacKinnon scored into the empty net for the 7-4 final at 19:07.

Morning Skate

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