Avalanche Beat Flames 5-2 as Lehkonen Scores Twice and Makar Adds Four Assists

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday night, October 31, 2026. Artturi Lehkonen scored two goals, Cale Makar finished with four assists, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves in an NHL regular season game that Colorado took control of in the second period. Colorado won the first period 1-0, the second 3-1, and split the third 1-1.

Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring with 5:47 remaining in the first period. He snapped the puck past Calgary goaltender Arsenii Sergeev after Cale Makar and Martin Necas tried to connect on the play. The goal was MacKinnon's 21st against Calgary in his career and his eighth in his last eight games against the Flames. Colorado led 1-0 after the first period and held a 9-6 edge in shots.

Necas, Lehkonen and Nelson build a 4-0 lead

Martin Necas doubled the lead at 2:37 of the second period, scoring with a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Nazem Kadri. Lehkonen made it 3-0 at 5:48 of the second. He took a pass from Makar at the bumper position and fired a wrist shot under Sergeev's pads. It was Lehkonen's 11th goal of the season, the most of any Avalanche player. Brock Nelson then tipped a puck out of midair past Sergeev to make it 4-0. Gabriel Landeskog had tried to connect with Nelson on the play, and Calgary defenseman Zach Whitecloud deflected the pass before Nelson reached it.

Calgary got on the board with 9:10 remaining in the second period. Joel Farabee one-timed a pass from the bumper position past Blackwood after a defensive zone turnover by Kadri, cutting the lead to 4-1. Colorado still entered the third period in control, leading by three goals and holding a 24-14 advantage in shots.

Lehkonen adds his second in the third

Each team scored once in the third period. Lehkonen's second goal of the night completed the scoring for Colorado, and Martin Pospisil scored for Calgary. The final totals gave Lehkonen two goals, while MacKinnon and Necas each finished with a goal and an assist, Nelson had one goal, Makar had four assists, and Devon Toews had two assists. For Calgary, Farabee and Pospisil scored, and Mikael Backlund, Ryan Strome and Zayne Parekh each had one assist.

Blackwood stopped 25 of 27 shots for the win. Sergeev made 29 saves on 34 shots for Calgary and played all 60 minutes. Colorado outshot Calgary 34-27 and won 31 faceoffs to Calgary's 20. Colorado went 1 for 3 on the power play, while Calgary had no power play chances. Calgary took six penalty minutes and Colorado took none.

Nelson's night also included a worrying moment in the second period. He took a shot to the ear, stayed on one knee on the ice for several minutes, then left the ice and headed down the tunnel. His status was not immediately known.

Calgary entered the game at 6-7-0 and was playing the second night of a back to back after a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Friday. Colorado entered at 7-5-1. The Avalanche played without defenseman Josh Manson, who is out with an ankle injury and is expected to miss about eight weeks, and without forward Logan O'Connor, who was away from the team for his father's memorial service. Gavin Brindley, recalled from the AHL Colorado Eagles on Friday, took O'Connor's place in the lineup.