(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Nathan MacKinnon records 3 points in Game 1 win
  • MacKenzie Blackwood makes 23 saves
  • Read below for more on Colorado’s 5-1 victory

The Colorado Avalanche are here and they’re ready to go.

All eyes have been on the Central Division this season, with the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche as three of the top Stanley Cup contenders. Given the NHL’s playoff format, though, it meant that at least one of those teams would be going home in the first round.

The Jets came back to take Game 1 of their series against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon, and the Avalanche turned it on late to pull away in Dallas in the nightcap.

Despite the 5-1 final score, it took until nearly halfway through the game for Artturi Lehkonen to break the ice.

MacKinnon dropped the puck back to Lehkonen off the rush, and the Finnish winger got to his own rebound, which he inadvertently kicked into the net as he was falling to the ice.

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There was a slight delay to determine if there was a distinct kicking motion by Lehkonen, but it was all luck.

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The weird bounces continued as MacKinnon made it a 2-0 game later in the second period. His shot went in off of Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin for a power-play goal.

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The Stars made it a 2-1 game with a power-play goal of their own by Roope Hintz early in the third period, but Devon Toews put the Avalanche back up by two with less than eight minutes remaining, and they never looked back.

Of course, it was reigning Hart Trophy winner and 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament MVP Nathan MacKinnon leading the way for the Avalanche.

MacKinnon scored two goals and added a primary assist for three points in the series-opening win. He also racked up six shots on goal in the contest, which is pretty impressive since the Avs only had 24 SOG in total.

The Avalanche will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead in Dallas with Game 2 on Monday night. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. EDT.