The Colorado Avalanche secured a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night, thanks to strong performances from Nathan MacKinnon and goaltender Ivan Prosvetov.
MacKinnon, who has been a key player for the Avalanche this season, opened the scoring in the first period with a power-play goal. He received a pass from Cale Makar and fired a shot past Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, giving the Avalanche an early lead.
The Flames responded in the second period with a goal from Elias Lindholm, tying the game at 1-1. However, the Avalanche quickly regained the lead with a goal from Joonas Donskoi just minutes later.
Prosvetov, who was making his first start for the Avalanche, was solid in net throughout the game. He made 27 saves, including some key stops in the third period to preserve the lead for his team.
The Avalanche sealed the victory with an empty-net goal from Mikko Rantanen in the final minute of the game. This was Rantanen’s 20th goal of the season, making him the first Avalanche player to reach the milestone this season.
The win was a much-needed one for the Avalanche, who had lost their previous two games. They now have a record of 20-8-2 and sit in second place in the West Division.
MacKinnon, who has been on a hot streak lately, now has 14 goals and 25 assists in 30 games this season. He has been a key player for the Avalanche, leading the team in points and playing a crucial role in their success.
Prosvetov, who was called up from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, made the most of his opportunity in net. The 22-year-old Russian goaltender was acquired by the Avalanche in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes in October and has been impressive in his limited appearances.
The Flames, on the other hand, have been struggling as of late. They have now lost four of their last five games and sit in fifth place in the North Division with a record of 14-14-3.
Despite the loss, Flames goaltender Markstrom had a strong performance, making 31 saves in the game. However, the Flames were unable to generate enough offense to overcome the Avalanche’s strong defense and goaltending.
The Avalanche will look to continue their winning ways as they face the Flames again on Wednesday night. With MacKinnon and Prosvetov leading the way, the Avalanche will be a tough team to beat as they continue their push for the playoffs.
