Columbus Blue Jackets displayed their offensive prowess Saturday night by defeating Colorado Avalanche in a 6-4 win. The unstoppable pair of Kirill Marchenko & YegorChinakhov dominated the second period and played a pivotal role in Columbus’s 3-goal surge. Both players scored and played maker, each with two assists. They contributed significantly to the Blue Jackets victory.
Key Players Shine for Columbus
Sean Monahan, in addition to Marchenko’s and Chinakhov’s outstanding performances, also scored twice while assisting two of his teammates. The Blue Jackets’ scoring streak was bolstered further by Zach Werenski’s goals, Kent Johnson’s and Adam Fantilli’s. On the Avalanche side, Nathan MacKinnon scored, along with Miles Wood, Casey Mittelstadt and Ross Colton. Alexandar Georgiev was the goalie for the Avalanche. Georgiev struggled to stop three goals on nine shots.
Avalanche’s Goalkeeper Crisis
Justus Annunen took over for Georgiev when Fantilli’s second-period goal, which extended Columbus’ lead to 3-1, was scored. Columbus quickly regained the lead with Marchenko’s 4:33 goal. Despite Wood and Mittelstadt’s aggressive counter-attack, which scored within a 1-minute window to tie the score, Columbus’s struggles continued as goaltender Tarasov made 26 saves. Colton’s extra-skimmer goal was not enough for the Avalanche to turn the tide. Monahan’s empty net goal sealed the Avalanche’s fate.
Noteworthy Moments & Upcoming Games
NHL MVP Nathan MacKinnon’s highlight video was presented before the game. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets made a special appearance wearing MacKinnon’s number. He presented the Hart Trophy wearing his No. 29 jersey. In another key moment, Avalanche forward Ivan Ivan scored his first NHL goal by assisting MacKinnon’s goals. MacKinnon marked the moment by passing the puck to Ivan as a souvenir. The Avalanche host the New York Islanders Monday night.
