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01/25 15:28 CST Brock Nelson has hat trick in NHL-leading Avalanche's 4-1 win
over Maple Leafs
Brock Nelson has hat trick in NHL-leading Avalanche's 4-1 win over Maple Leafs
TORONTO (AP) --- Brock Nelson scored twice in a 1:12 span in the first period
and sealed his fifth career hat trick with an empty-netter in the Colorado
Avalanche's 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
Jack Drury also scored to help NHL-leading Colorado improve to 35-6-9.
MacKenzie Blackwood made 32 saves.
Colorado became the fourth team in NHL history with six or fewer regulation
losses through 50 games, joining the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers (35-3-12),
1943-44 Montreal Canadiens (38-5-7) and 1975-76 Canadiens (36-6-8).
The last team with at least 77 points through 50 contests was the 2022-23
Boston Bruins (38-7-5), who went on to set the NHL record for wins in a season
with 65.
Max Domi had a late power-play goal for Toronto, and Joseph Woll stopped 33
shots. The Maple Leafs are 24-19-9.
The Maple Leafs had a 4-3 overtime victory in Denver on Jan. 12, but have
dropped six of seven (1-4-2), including an ugly 0-3-1 start to their current
five-game homestand following an 8-0-2 run.
Colorado became just the fourth team in NHL history with six or fewer
regulation losses through 50 games, joining the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers
(35-3-12), 1943-44 Montreal Canadiens (38-5-7) and 1975-76 Canadiens (36-6-8).
The last team with at least 77 points through 50 contests was the 2022-23
Boston Bruins (38-7-5), who went on to set the NHL record for wins in a season
with 65.
Nelson opened the scoring at 6:19 of the first on a 2 on 1 before adding his
second just over a minute later on a sneaky pass off the stick of Artturi
Lehkonen from behind Woll's net. He has 27 goals this season.
Nelson tied Alex DeBrincat and Kyle Connor --- both with eight --- for the
third-most 25-goal seasons among active American players. The list is led by
Patrick Kane (11) and Toronto captain Auston Matthews (10).
Up next Avalanche: At Ottawa on Wednesday night. Maple Leafs: Host Buffalo on Tuesday night. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl |
