Gavin Brindley secured a dramatic victory for the Colorado Avalanche, scoring just over a minute into overtime to lead his team to a thrilling 5-4 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night in Vancouver. This victory marks the Avalanche’s third consecutive win and extends their impressive point streak to 5-0-2.
Nathan MacKinnon, a standout performer in the game, netted two goals and contributed three assists, elevating him to the top of the NHL scoring leaderboard with 29 points for the season. He played a crucial role in the Avalanche’s offensive efforts, with Valeri Nichushkin and Cale Makar also supporting the scoring drive, each providing two assists. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves to help secure the victory.
Vancouver kept the game competitive with goals from Linus Karlsson, Kiefer Sherwood, Drew O’Connor, and Jake DeBrusk. Kevin Lankinen recorded 27 saves for the Canucks during the match.
The back-and-forth game saw the Avalanche jump to an early 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to MacKinnon, who scored two goals within just over a minute. The Canucks responded with a backhand goal from Sherwood and later tied the game at 2-2 before Lehkonen’s two goals put Colorado ahead once more. However, O’Connor’s shorthanded goal and DeBrusk’s late power-play goal set up a nail-biting finish.
Brindley’s overtime goal came after he followed up on a rebound from his own shot, securing the victory with an assist credited to MacKinnon even after he had exited the ice. It was a thrilling conclusion to a well-fought matchup.
The Avalanche will host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, kicking off a four-game homestand, while the Canucks will look to regroup as they prepare to host the Winnipeg Jets. The exciting nature of the game and MacKinnon’s stellar performance suggest a promising outlook for Colorado as they continue to build momentum in the season.