Avalanche Beat Winnipeg for Fifth Consecutive Win

Casey Mittelstadt ended a 19-game scoring drought by breaking the tie with a goal seven minutes into the third period.

The Colorado Avalanche (23-15-0) defeated the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets (27-11-1) 5-2 at home Tuesday night.

Casey Mittelstadt, acquired at last year’s trade deadline, ended his 19-game scoring drought by breaking the tie with a goal seven minutes into the third period. Mikko Rantanen and Ross Colton added empty-net goals to secure the win for the Avalanche. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 21 saves, while Artturi Lehkonen and Devon Toews each scored.

The Jets, playing the second game of a back-to-back, were without league-leading goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The game marked the most goals the Jets have allowed since their 5-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on Nov. 16.

The win extended the Avalanche’s streak to five games, with Blackwood starting in net for four of them. Since joining Colorado, Blackwood has allowed only 11 goals on 173 shots. Before Blackwood’s first start, the Avalanche were conceding an average of 3.4 goals per game. In Blackwood’s six starts in the Blue and Burgundy, that average has dropped to 1.8 goals per game.

The Colorado defense, however, has not significantly improved since Blackwood’s acquisition, allowing 28 shots per game during his first six starts. Blackwood has proven to be an ideal goalie for the Avalanche, capable of handling close to 30 shots per game while allowing only two goals. Previously, when the team was losing, Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen struggled under similar conditions.

The Avalanche remain an offensive powerhouse, with Nathan MacKinnon leading the NHL in points with 61 and Rantanen ranking third with 54. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2021, the Avalanche have relied on their offensive stars to overpower opponents. They can afford to allow two goals per game because they average 3.4 goals per game.

Six games into the Blackwood era, things are looking up for Colorado. The team is now eight games above .500 and third in the Central Division. With 42 games remaining on their schedule and the talent on their team they remain poised for a deep playoff run as long as Blackwood and the offense keep up their pace.