SEATTLE (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen scored in a 1:28 span early within the third interval and the Colorado Avalanche spoiled Seattle Kraken’s first residence playoff recreation with a 6-4 victory Saturday evening in Recreation 3 of the first-round collection.
Tied at 3 after a wild first 40 minutes, the defending Stanley Cup champions relied on their finest gamers to take a 2-1 lead within the collection and reclaim home-ice benefit.
MacKinnon scored his first two objectives of the playoffs, Cale Makar added his first of this postseason after successful the Conn Smythe Trophy because the MVP of final 12 months’s championship run, and Rantanen scored for the second straight recreation, capping the victory with an empty-net purpose with 2:14 left.
MacKinnon scored on a breakaway late within the first interval to present Colorado a 2-1 lead. His second purpose was even higher, profiting from Seattle’s fourth line getting caught on the ice and ripping a wrist shot previous Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer for a 5-3 lead.
MacKinnon’s second purpose got here moments after Rantanen completed off a 3-on-2 rush and silenced followers in a frenzy after Seattle’s second-period rally.
J.T. Compher scored short-handed within the first interval and Makar’s purpose at 4:33 of the second interval gave the Avalanche a 3-1 lead. Makar’s purpose got here off a clear faceoff win by Colorado and left Seattle’s followers murmuring uncomfortably as an alternative of the deafening cheers within the opening moments of the sport.
