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MacKinnon just achieved something no other NHL player has managed this season


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Theodore Mosby
December 22, 2025  (8:48)
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Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild all collided Sunday night in a statement road win that felt bigger than two points and louder than the scoreboard.

Colorado walked into St. Paul and walked out with a 5-1 win, snapping Minnesota's seven-game heater and reminding the Central Division who still drives the pace. The Avalanche were fast early, patient later, and ruthless when cracks appeared.

MacKinnon pulls off a feat no NHL player has done all season.

Ryan O'Hara from The Hockey News writes that Martin Necas opened the scoring late in the first period, jumping on a loose puck and beating Jesper Wallstedt after sustained zone pressure. It was the kind of goal Colorado creates when their forecheck stays connected.
The second period belonged to Nathan MacKinnon. The 29-year-old blew the roof off with a power-play goal, his 29th of the season, then spent the rest of the night tilting the ice. Minnesota chased, Colorado dictated.
Cale Makar and Brock Nelson quietly piled up assists, each finishing with two, while Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog kept plays alive along the walls. Mackenzie Blackwood handled traffic calmly, turning aside 28 shots.
Watching this one, it felt like the kind of game Avalanche fans circle in April, structured, mean, and confident without cheating for offense.
Minnesota finally broke through early in the third, but the response was immediate. Nelson restored the three-goal cushion, finishing a clean sequence that started with a defensive-zone exit and ended behind Wallstedt.
MacKinnon sealed it with an empty-netter, his 30th goal, making him the first player in the NHL to reach that mark this season. He now sits at 61 points through 35 games, numbers that sound fake until you watch the shifts.
The details mattered here. Colorado won battles below the dots, limited slot chances, and forced Minnesota to the outside. The Wild had looks, but not comfort.
This was also Colorado's fifth straight win, pushing their point streak to eight games and tightening their grip in the Central. Games like this travel well, especially come spring.
There was nothing fluky about this one. Colorado earned it shift by shift, and nights like Sunday are how belief inside a room turns into something heavier.
Previously on Colorado Hockey Daily
Cale Makar delivers bold statement to Quinn Hughes in Avalanche's dominant victory over the Wild
Avalanche rival's latest acquisition throws jabs at former team during media session
Avalanche make major announcement about their future top defenseman
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MacKinnon just achieved something no other NHL player has managed this season

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