Joel Kiviranta scored three goals, including two into an empty net. Nathan MacKinnon recorded his third consecutive two-assist game as the Colorado Avalanche secured a 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night.
Valeri Nichushkin and Cale Makar also scored for Colorado, which earned its third straight victory. Mikko Rantanen and Makar also tallied two assists each, helping the Avalanche sweep the three-game season series against Seattle. Kiviranta sealed the win with two late empty-net goals, marking his first regular-season hat trick.
Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 17 saves, improving to 3-1 since joining Colorado in a trade that sent Alexandar Georgiev to San Jose.
Seattle struggled early following a 6-2 loss in Vegas the previous night but temporarily took the lead in the second period before Colorado responded with goals from Nichushkin and Kiviranta.
Jared McCann and Kaapo Kakko scored for the Kraken, but they now lose five consecutive games. Joey Daccord made 24 saves in the loss.
Takeaways
Kraken: Kaapo Kakko found the back of the net for the first time as a member of Seattle, scoring in his third game since being acquired from the New York Rangers on Dec. 18.
Avalanche: Colorado’s penalty kill remains sharp, successfully nullifying Seattle’s lone power-play opportunity. The Avalanche have now killed off 14 consecutive penalties.
Key Moment
After Kakko gave Seattle a 2-1 lead in the second period, Nichushkin responded 11 seconds later to tie the game. According to NHL Stats, this marks one of only three instances this season where teams combined for faster consecutive goals.
Key Stats
Colorado’s top trio of Makar, Rantanen, and MacKinnon combined for the same goal for the 10th time this season, the most by any trio in the NHL.
Up Next
After the holiday break, the Avalanche visit Utah on Friday, while the Kraken face the Canucks in Vancouver on Saturday.
