DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon reached a significant career milestone by recording his 1,000th NHL point, contributing two assists in the Colorado Avalanche’s 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night at Ball Arena.
MacKinnon became the 100th player in NHL history to achieve this feat and only the third in the history of the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise, joining legends Joe Sakic (1,641 points) and Peter Stastny (1,048 points).
The game remained scoreless through the first two periods, with both teams displaying strong defensive efforts. Just 31 seconds into the third period, MacKinnon assisted on Artturi Lehkonen’s goal, marking his 1,000th career point and breaking the deadlock. Less than three minutes later, MacKinnon provided another assist on Martin Necas’s goal, extending Colorado’s lead to 2-0. Joel Kiviranta sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood was instrumental in the Avalanche’s victory, stopping all 20 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the season and the eighth of his career. This win marked Colorado’s sixth consecutive victory, completing a flawless 6-0-0 homestand.
Chicago’s goaltender Spencer Knight made 18 saves, but the Blackhawks struggled offensively, suffering their eighth loss in 11 games (3-5-3). Notably, 19-year-old defenseman Artyom Levshunov made his NHL debut for Chicago during this game.
Reflecting on his milestone, MacKinnon expressed his excitement, stating, “I think it’s cool. It’s fun to accomplish something with friends and teammates and stuff. You want team success. You want everyone to celebrate accomplishments and wins and everything like that. This thing is just for me, but it’s a long road [with] ups and downs. Definitely a cool moment though.”
The Avalanche will look to continue their winning streak as they embark on a road trip, while the Blackhawks aim to rebound in their upcoming games.
