Avalanche shake off slow start to beat Penguins behind MacKinnon, Hughes

The Colorado Avalanche needed a wake-up call against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. They got one in the first period, and their response was exactly what head coach Jared Bednar would have wanted.

Colorado erased an early deficit and scored four unanswered goals before eventually securing a 5-2 victory at Ball Arena. Nathan MacKinnon led the way with four points, Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, and TJ Hughes finally found the back of the net for his first NHL goal. Mackenzie Blackwood also continued his streak of strong starts, stopping 29 shots in the win.

The W was encouraging for several reasons, but perhaps the most important was how the Avalanche responded when the game was going down the tubes in the first period.

Avalanche hit reset button after terrible first period

Colorado could hardly have wanted a worse start. The Penguins controlled much of the opening period, outshooting the Avalanche 14-5 and building a 2-0 lead via goals from Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust.

Lehkonen pulled one back for Colorado, but the Avalanche still headed into the first intermission trailing 2-1. The reality is that the Avs were lucky to escape the opening frame down by a goal, given how badly things looked.

Whatever happened in the locker room, however, clearly worked.

Lehkonen scored just 25 seconds into the second period, finishing a setup from MacKinnon to bring Colorado even. Gabriel Landeskog followed with another goal less than four minutes later, taking nice feed from Brock Nelson.

Hughes added his first NHL goal later in the period, giving the Avs a two-goal cushion heading into the second intermission.

The difference was like night and day. The Avalanche went from sucking wind to controlling the pace. By the time the third period rolled around, the Avs did not let the Pens get back into the game.

MacKinnon eventually capped the scoring with a power-play goal in the third period, putting the game on ice.

TJ Hughes finally gets first NHL goal

There was no shortage of reasons to celebrate Friday's victory, but Hughes getting on the scoresheet might have been the cherry on top of a great game.

Colorado's top prospect entered the game still searching for his first NHL goal. The 24-year-old had managed just one point through his first seven games, leading to questions about his permanence with the club.

His goal against Pittsburgh should provide a welcome confidence boost. Hughes found the net late in the second period, finishing a play set up by MacKinnon and Cale Makar to extend Colorado's lead to 4-2.

One goal will not suddenly resolve every question about Hughes' offensive development. Young players need time to adjust, and the Avalanche should not expect him to produce like a top-six veteran overnight. Still, getting that first one out of the way can make a massive difference in his play moving forward.

Blackwood and Avalanche defense deliver better performance

The Avalanche's offensive firepower will always attract attention, but Blackwood deserves plenty of credit for helping turn this game around.

Blackwood kept the Avs in the game during the first period. But it was his steady play that bought the club enough time to get back into the game.

The call from Jared Bednar for timely saves seems like something from eons ago. Blackwood has been the guy, and he’s given the Avs a chance to win.

The power play also contributed, converting once on four opportunities. MacKinnon's third-period goal gave Colorado some insurance, a fantastic showing for a unit that has been searching for consistency. Hughes' second-period goal came just after a power-play opportunity had expired, adding to the sense that the Avalanche were beginning to generate momentum across the lineup.

Colorado still has things to clean up, particularly when it comes to starting games with more urgency. But after a demanding stretch of games, the Avalanche will gladly take a five-goal performance, a strong outing from Blackwood and a first NHL goal for Hughes.

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