Avalanche blank Red Wings 4-0 as Mackenzie Blackwood makes 27 saves

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Colorado Avalanche rolled to a 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Ball Arena on Saturday, completing the shutout with goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood in net. Blackwood made 27 saves, including 13 in the first period as the teams remained scoreless through the opening frame before Colorado’s offence took over.

Colorado’s first goal came on the power play as Martin Necas scored at 9:46 of the second period to put the Avalanche ahead 1-0. The sequence unfolded during a goalmouth scramble, and the puck slipped under Detroit goalie Daniil Tarasov to the right side where Necas finished for the open net.

Nathan MacKinnon extended the lead on another power play at 12:30 of the second period, making it 2-0. MacKinnon one-timed a pass from Cale Makar for the goal, placing it top shelf to the far side.

Necas pushed the margin to 3-0 early in the third as Necas scored again at 7:15. He batted in the airborne rebound of MacKinnon’s initial shot that struck the right post, then Tarasov made a blocker save but the puck rose above him and Necas was able to backhand it in behind the goalie.

Cale Makar capped the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:45 of the third period to make it 4-0. Makar’s wrister from the top of the right circle beat Tarasov short side past the glove, sealing the shutout.

Blackwood’s shutout was his first of the season and the 18th of his NHL career. For the Red Wings, Tarasov made 25 saves in the loss as Detroit dropped to 7-8-3, with the defeat extending their losing streak to three straight and marking four losses in their past five games.

With the win, the Avalanche moved to 10-6-2 and improved their recent form to 4-1-1 in their past six games. Necas led Colorado’s production with two goals and two assists, while MacKinnon and Makar each finished with a goal and two assists in a game where Colorado’s special teams and Blackwood’s goaltending helped control the outcome.