MacKinnon scores 399th career goal as surging Avalanche beat Kings 5-2 – Winnipeg Free Press

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored the 399th goal of his career, Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist and the surging Colorado Avalanche won their eighth straight with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.

MacKinnon added an assist for his NHL-leading 32nd goal of the season. Jack Drury, Cale Makar and Martin Necas also scored for the Avalanche, who have won 14 straight at home.

Colorado has points in 28 of its last 29 games and is 10-0-1 in its last 11, continuing its historic start to the season. Colorado scored 65 points in 38 games, losing to the Boston Bruins in 1929-30.



Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, left, and Los Angeles Kings left wing Trevor Moore chase the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Corey Perry scored and Joel Armia added a shorthanded goal for Los Angeles, which has lost seven of nine.

Drury opened the scoring midway through the first period, and Perry tied the game with a power-play goal at 5:15 of the second period.

Necas gave Colorado the lead again in the second when he scored on a goal line puck. Nelson's snap shot beat Anton Forsberg over his left shoulder with 2:30 left in the second.

Forsberg finished the game with 21 saves for the Kings.

Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots, including a save on Adrian Kempe's shorthanded breakaway late in the second period.

He couldn't stop Army, which drove the length of the ice and scored through the pads on Colorado's power play.

It was Los Angeles' seventh shorthanded goal of the season in the NHL.

Forsberg came on for an extra skater with 2:26 left, and MacKinnon scored on an empty net with 1:37 left. Makar scored another goal with 45 seconds left.