DENVER — Gabriel Landeskog scored three times, Nathan MacKinnon added two more and the Colorado Avalanche stormed back from a three-goal deficit to beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-3 on Friday night.
It was Landeskog’s second hat trick this season against the Jets.
The Avalanche captain was mobbed by teammates along the boards after his third goal gave Colorado a comfortable 6-3 advantage. The Avalanche scored six unanswered goals after falling behind 3-0 following a forgettable first period.
Andre Burakovsky gave the Avalanche the lead for good with a low lower through the pads of Connor Hellebuyck 56 seconds into the final period. It was Burakovsky’s first goal since Jan. 14.
Landeskog scored twice down low in the second period. He pushed the puck past Hellebuyck to get the Avs started and then tied it up at 3 apiece when he tipped it past the Jets goaltender. In between, MacKinnon scored in his return after missing a game due to a lower-body ailment.
Kyle Connor, Evgeny Svechnikov and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets, who fell to 0-2-1 on their four-game trip. They were cruising along after Lowry’s short-handed goal made it 3-0 with 3:34 remaining in the first period.
About that time, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar drifted over and gave goaltender Pavel Francouz a reassuring tap on the pads. It seemed to do that trick as Francouz stopped 16 shots after that.
With Colorado up big, things turned chippy. Pierre-Luc Dubois was given a late misconduct penalty and Josh Morrissey drew a slash call for coming down on MacKinnon’s arm.
Connor got the Jets started early with a goal 2:13 into the game. He continues to make himself right at home away from home, with at least a point in 22 of his 28 road contests this season.
BO UPDATE
Colorado defenseman Bowen Byram (personal) skated before the team’s morning session Friday. Byram hasn’t played since Jan. 10, and there remains no timetable for his return.
“The road to recovery is usually never a straight line,” coach Jared Bednar said. “We’re hopeful at some point here he’ll able to come back and join us. We’re trusting the player and his timeline and not putting any pressure on him to get back anytime soon.”
MCNAB UPDATE
Avalanche analyst Peter McNab announced an update on his health through AltitudeTV’s social media: “Yesterday I received news from my doctor that my cancer is in remission. You can only imagine my emotions yesterday and today, but as exciting as this is, the overwhelming emotion I have is gratitude.”
THIS & THAT
Mikko Rantanen had three assists, while Devon Toews, Makar, Valeri Nichushkin and Nazem Kadri each had two assists. …. Colorado beat Winnipeg 7-1 in Denver on Jan. 6.
UP NEXT
Jets: Close their trip Sunday in Arizona.
Avalanche: At Vegas on Saturday. The Avalanche are 5-0-1 in the second game of a back-to-back this season.
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