Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon did nothing to disprove the theory that he's probably the best player in the NHL right now, leading a furious third period comeback that culminated in a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday night.
MacKinnon registered two goals and an assist — all in the final frame — in the process reclaiming the scoring lead from Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid. McDavid has been on a tear himself, with 20 points in his last seven games, including four in a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the evening.
As of Wednesday morning, MacKinnon is up to 58 points in 33 games, while McDavid is hot on the trail with 56 in 34 contests. Still, MacKinnon will just be happy to help his team get another win, especially after trailing heading into the third. He continues to lead the charge offensively, and now has 12 points (six goals, six assists) over a six-game point streak.
“I mean, he’s just a dominant player,” defenseman Josh Manson said of MacKinnon, per NHL.com's Darren Brown. “He creates chances all the time on the ice but makes the guys around him better. And I feel like he’s got that kind of shot mentality this year, like just throwing everything to the net, and it’s working for him.”
Avalanche not used to playing from behind
Despite being 24-2-7 and leading the President's Trophy race, it was Colorado's first third period comeback of the 2025-26 season. Although they looked a step behind at the beginning of the tilt — as head coach Jared Bednar put it — the Avs were able to force their game on the Kraken in the final 40 minutes.
“We were close in the first period, but it just seemed like they had an added step on us,” Bednar said. “And I think part of that was just the intensity that they were playing with early, and I didn't mind us, but we gave up too much, and we weren't getting enough. … And as the game went on, I thought we got there, and then, good things started to happen for us.”
With the win, the Avalanche increase their cushion in the Central Division to six points on the Dallas Stars, and 10 on Quinn Hughes and the surging Minnesota Wild.
Colorado owns a league-best plus-56 goal differential, and it continues to be one of the best starts to a season ever in Denver.
Now winners of three in a row and seven of 10, the Avalanche will return home to welcome the Winnipeg Jets to Ball Arena on Friday night. After that, they're back on the road to face the Wild in the State of Hockey to end the week on Sunday.
