Avalanche scores 5 goals in the second period to end the Hurricanes’ 8-game winning streak 6-4

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists, Mikko Rantanen had two goals and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche defeated Carolina 6-4 on Saturday night, ending the Hurricanes’ eight-game winning streak

DENVER – Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists, Mikko Rantanen had two goals and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche defeated Carolina 6-4 on Saturday night, ending the Hurricanes’ eight-game winning streak.

Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski also scored for Colorado, and Alexandar Georgiev had 27 saves.

Jordan Martinook scored two goals and an assist for Carolina, and Jack Drury and Martin Necas also scored. Seth Jarvis had two assists and Spencer Martin finished with 23 saves for the Hurricanes, who hadn’t lost since Oct. 19.

The Hurricanes led 3-2 after Necas scored with 7:34 left in the second before MacKinnon and Lehkonen scored 53 seconds apart. Carolina unsuccessfully challenged Lehkonen’s tally for goaltender interference and put Colorado on the power play.

Jalen Chatfield’s high-stick minor gave the Avalanche a 5-on-3 victory and Rantanen scored a power-play goal with 1:11 left, giving Colorado three goals in three minutes.

Martin was brought in for an extra field player in the final two minutes and Rantanen scored into an empty net with 50 seconds left to seal the goal.

Hurricanes: No player on the roster has scored more than nine goals this season, yet Carolina had won 10 of the last 11 goals.

Avalanche: Despite allowing four goals, Georgiev was solid in net for the second straight game and likely earned another start in the starting lineup on Monday.

Trailing 2-0 and on penalties, Makar jumped the passing line in his own zone to steal Shayne Gostisbehere’s pass. He ran at Martin and hit him with a slap shot at the far post, resulting in a goal drought of 89 minutes and 17 seconds. Colorado’s second half began with five goals.

Carolina had not allowed more than four goals in a game this season and conceded five in a half.

Hurricanes hit Las Vegas and Avalanche host Nashville on Monday.

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