DENVER (AP) — Marcus Pettersson scored with 5:39 left, Brock Boeser had a hat trick and the last-place Vancouver Canucks blew a four-goal lead before beating the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 8-6 on Wednesday night.
The Canucks, who trailed the Avalanche by 58 points early in the game, scored in a variety of ways, including shorthanded, on a power play and an empty-net goal 29 seconds into the game to snap a six-game losing streak.
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They led 6-2 in the second quarter, but Colorado tied the game with 6:02 left. Just 23 seconds later, Pettersson scored his first goal since November. Boeser sealed the puck by lining it up along the ice and into an empty net.
Teddy Bruegger scored twice, Max Sasson and Jake DeBrusk also scored, making Nathan MacKinnon the first player to reach 50 goals this season. Vancouver took full advantage of the Avalanche’s defensive mix with Karl Makar out with an upper-body injury.
Kevin Lankinen made 24 saves.
Sam Malinsky scored twice, and Gabriel Landeskog, Parker Kelly and Brent Burns also added a goal each. MacKinnon scored in his first start, reaching 50 goals for just the second time in his career.
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Colorado goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was eliminated after allowing six goals on 19 shots with 4:39 left in the second period. Scott Wedgwood breathed a sigh of relief and paused five shots.
Things were looking great for the Avalanche with a 9-2 win over Calgary on Monday.
Before the fans could take their seats, the Canucks took a 1-0 lead. Sasson’s goal 29 seconds into the game was the Canucks’ fastest goal since Oct. 22, 2024 (21 seconds).
Burns had a goal and an assist in his 999th consecutive game. The triathlon record holder is Phil Kessel, who skated 1,064 consecutive games.
Next
Canucks: At Minnesota on Thursday.
Avalanche: At Dallas on Saturday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
