The Cale and Nathan Show

We Colorado Avalanche fans are really blessed, aren't we?

When this six-game homestand started, I was excited. The Avs lost the first two games after the Four Nations break, and it was not good. We needed something after that. A six-game homestand for any team is just what the doctor ordered. The mission was simple. The Avs had twelve points to get. So get them. So far, so good. Defeated the Devils. Defeated the Wild. Defeated the Penguins. Three-for-three on the homestand. Still have six more points to get. Next up, the lowly, lowly, San Jose Sharks. Again, I'm excited.

The goalie matchup was between the two goalies who were traded for each other: Mackenzie Blackwood vs Alexandar Georgiev. With this, Georgie was back at Ball Arena as an opponent, and again, he had his moments in his just over two seasons with the Avs, leading the league in wins each time. The first power play of the game went to San Jose in just over three minutes. However, the first goal was scored by Colorado during that SJ PP. Joel Kiviranta's shortie was his first goal in ten games. The assist came from Cale Makar, who was far from done. The rest of SJ's PP was killed off, and four seconds later, the Avs were on the power play. Makar scored on that to make it 2-0. The assists came from Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon, and the latter of those two? Far from done.

Sharks received another PP, and this time, the goal scored during that stretch did belong to SJ. Fabian Zetterlund put the Sharks on the board, and later in to the period, the Sharks had another PP. No one scores on that one, but once the Avs went on the PP again, it came through. With 2.1 seconds left in the first, Drouin made it 3-1. Martin Necas and Artturi Lekhonen with the assists, and 3-1 was the score after 20 minutes. Right in the first minute, Avs get another power play, and three seconds in, Marti Necas scores. 4-1 Avs, and the assists came from MacKinnon and Makar. MacKinnon decided to get a goal of his own later on, and the assists came from Makar and Josh Manson. It's 5-1! It was 6-1 for a moment as Keaton Middleton beat the buzzer, but goaltender interference took that off the board.

Even so, 5-1 after 40 minutes is not bad. It would be 6-1 anyway, and it would be MacKinnon once again. The assists: Lehkonen and, what do you know? Makar! So that's four points for MacKinnon, while Makar had five. The game was dead, but another Mack got something anyway. Macklin Celebrini, the #1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, scores on the power play. However, just 50 seconds later, Makar gets his second goal of the game--as well as his sixth point. The assists: MacKinnon and Devon Toews. William Eklund scores very late to make the score just a tad bit respectable.

I've lost count of how many fans of different teams tell me about how amazing Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are. Makar with six points in this game--two goals and four helpers. MacKinnon had five points--two goals and three helpers. With that game, Mack is now up to 98 points, only two away from his third straight 100-point season. Overall, Mack has 997 total points in his career, needing only three to reach the 1000 mark. The embarrassment of riches we have is just amazing! Regarding the team, we have won the homestand. We've won four straight games, and racked up eight points in this homestand. Now if only someone would just beat the Stars and Wild for a change.

That's not all, folks.

The news broke during the third period, but the deal is done. The Avalanche received Brock Nelson and William Dufour from the New York Islanders for Cal Richie, Oliver Kyington, and a pair of conventional draft picks. This is absolutely epic! The Avs will be full of talent and ready for the playoffs. All we have to hope for is that this group stays healthy, and we get no shenanigans. If that happens, I sense a fourth Stanley Cup for this franchise. Let's go!

The Avalanche's homestand continues on Saturday, as we host the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will conclude on Monday with a meeting against the Chicago Blackhawks, and on Tuesday, the Avs travel to Minnesota for the last regular season meeting with the Wild.

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