MacKinnon’s Four Points Lift Avalanche Past Penguins 5-2

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists on Friday night, powering the Colorado Avalanche to a 5–2 comeback win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena.

MacKinnon factored in four of Colorado’s five goals, and Artturi Lehkonen scored twice as the Avalanche erased an early two-goal deficit to improve to 5–2–1.

From 2-0 down to five straight

Pittsburgh’s start was nearly perfect. Evgeni Malkin opened the scoring midway through the first period, and Bryan Rust doubled the lead 29 seconds later, tipping in a Sidney Crosby pass on a two-on-one rush. Colorado was chasing the game almost immediately.

Lehkonen got one back late in the first period, then tied it 25 seconds into the second. Gabriel Landeskog put Colorado ahead for good, finishing a Brock Nelson pass moments after Pittsburgh goaltender Arturs Silovs had stopped a MacKinnon penalty shot. It was Landeskog’s 83rd career go-ahead goal, tying him with Mikko Rantanen for sixth-most in franchise history.

T.J. Hughes scored his first NHL goal in the second period, poking in a backhand feed from MacKinnon and drawing a hug from Cale Makar. MacKinnon then completed the scoring himself on the power play in the third, a one-timer from the left circle for his sixth goal of the season.

Milestones and goaltending

Crosby recorded his 1,110th career assist, moving into sole possession of seventh place in NHL history and moving one assist shy of Ray Bourque for the most assists with a single franchise. For MacKinnon, the night improved his record against his fellow Nova Scotian to 12–6–3.

Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood settled in after a shaky start to stop 29 of the 31 shots he faced, including a breakaway save on Rickard Rakell that preserved a one-goal lead. Silovs made 27 saves for Pittsburgh, which is now 1–4–1 in its last six games.

Martin Necas added three assists and Makar two for the Avalanche, who finished 1-of-4 on the power play and killed all three Pittsburgh power plays. The game marked the Colorado debut of assistant coach Brett McLean, who took charge of the power-play unit after Dave Hakstol left to coach at Arizona State.

What it means

The win gives Colorado a positive early-season record and a signature comeback built on depth as much as star power. Blackwood called Lehkonen “the unsung hero” afterwards, a nod to the winger’s two goals, and singled out the timely save that kept the game from swinging back to Pittsburgh.

Colorado’s comeback was built on pressure and quick puck movement. After conceding twice early, the Avalanche tilted the ice and found rewards through Lehkonen’s finishing and MacKinnon’s distribution, turning a difficult start into one of the more emphatic wins of their young season.

The Penguins, by contrast, were left to rue a bright opening that slipped away. Pittsburgh finished with 20 shots but could not sustain its early momentum once Colorado began to control possession.

The Avalanche open a two-game road trip on Monday at Philadelphia, while the Penguins play at Vegas on Saturday night.

Sources

Reports from the NHL, the Associated Press, ESPN and theScore (October 2026).