The Colorado Avalanche were looking to bounce back against the Ottawa Senators after losing their first back-to-back games of the season to both Florida teams. This game was the definition of how quickly things can get ugly, as the Avalanche piled on six goals in the second period—five of them in just six minutes—on their way to an 8–1 win.

The Senators bring the physicality early in the period as Tyler Kleven levels Ivan Ivan near the red line. Josh Manson drops the gloves and stands up for Ivan as he pummels Kleven in retaliation. Not too long after, he sends a shot just past the blue line and sneaks past the heavy traffic in front of the net and in to make it 1-0. Nathan MacKinnon can double the lead just 10 minutes later when Martin Necas finds him open in the middle of the ice and rips it to make it 1-0. Samuel Girard is called for tripping as the period ends, and the Avalanche head into the penalty kill to start the second.

The second starts rough as Manson is called for interference and will have to kill off 15 seconds off the 5-on-3, and they do just that. It's Cale Makar, right as the penalty kill ends, receives a great feed from MacKinnon and rips it home to make it 3-0. Notably, Josh Manson is credited with the goal and officially has a Gordie Howe hat trick. Mads Sogaard is now in the net after letting in three goals on nine shots.

The Senators get one back as Shane Pinto's shot reflects off Cale Makar's stick and lodges into the net, tricking everyone, making it 3-1. They continue to pile it on as Fabian Zetterlund scores after a crazy scramble in the crease, which Wedgewood had to make a plethora of saves before that one was pushed in. Though the Avalanche challenged that the play was offside and was correct, the call was overturned, and it is no goal, back to 3-1.

 Michael Amadio is called for hooking, and the Avalanche capitalize on it as Martin Necas blasts it at the bottom of the circle to make it 4-1. Makar with the assist on the goal, and he reaches 50 points on the season, making him the first defenseman to reach 50 points this season and in back-to-back seasons since Erik Karlsson during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

Shortly after, a point shot from Brent Burns deflects off Thomas Chabot and in to make it 5–1. Brady Tkachuk is called for high-sticking, and just seconds into the penalty kill, Shane Pinto is also whistled for high-sticking, giving the Avalanche a 5-on-3 for 1:51. Nelson then capitalizes on the ensuing 5-on-4, blasting a one-timer from MacKinnon to make it 6–1.

Manson scores his second of the game from a one-timer from the blue line, making it 7-1. This is his first three-plus point night since Jan. 2, 2018. Nelson puts the cherry on top in the period, making it 8-1 as he finishes an excellent cross-ice pass from Ilya Solovyov.

Leevi Merilainen is now in the net for Mads Sogaard after allowing three goals on 12 shots. Tim Stutzle and Samuel Girard, after a bunch of back-and-forth, drop the gloves and go at it. Girard is called for the extra two minutes for roughing, but the Avalanche kills off the penalty. Pinto is called for roughing, and Brady Tkachuk, short-handed, can find Kleven’s rebound and beat Wedgewood five-hole to make it 8-2. Ridly Greig gets two for slashing, plus a 10-minute misconduct against Necas.

The Avalanche are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 11, against the Columbus Blue Jackets.