The Colorado Avalanche face off against the Winnipeg Jets for the first time this season. The Jets have struggled recently, but they have been playing better now that Connor Hellebuyck is back in the net. However, it wasn’t enough as the Avalanche were all over them tonight, securing a 3-2 win.

Period 1:

Brent Burns opens the scoring in the game as he sends a wrister that bounces off a Jets defender and beats Hellebuyck to make it 1-0. Gabriel Landeskog is called for holding as the Avalanche head to the penalty kill, but can kill it off.

The Avalanche strike again in the period as Nathan MacKinnon streaks down the offensive zone, finds Martin Necas rushing up the slot, and can set him up as he buries the shot to make it 2-0. Shots on goal were 11-8 in the Avalanche's favour, and it showed: they came out strong and capitalized on their early chances.

Period 2:

Josh Manson, early in the period, levels Cole Perfetti, and Tanner Pearson steps up for his teammate, and both drop the gloves and are called for fighting. The Avalanche get two separate chances on the power play when Mark Scheifele is called for holding, and Winnipeg gets called for too many men, but they can convert on both power play opportunities.

Though just after the too-many-men penalty, Necas gets hit hard and honestly a bit late by Logan Stanley. He gets up on his own and heads down the tunnel, and would not return during the period. Cole Perfetti is called for tripping, but it's Morgan Barron is able to get behind Cale Makar and gets a short-handed breakaway and buries it to make it 2-1

Hellebuyck's play in the period stood out, keeping them within two and helping them get within one, as the Avalanche had a plethora of great chances but stopped them all.

Period 3:

Before the period started, Necas came back on the ice to skate around and stayed on the bench to start the period. Manson streaking into the offensive zone fires a puck that Parker Kelly, who does a great job screening Hellbuyck as the shot is taken, can redirect the shot and score to make it 3-1 just two minutes into the period.

Devon Toews is called for hooking, and the Jets under 10 seconds capitalize on the power play. Hayden Fleury walks in and fakes a shot, which turns into a nice slap pass right into the stick of Scheifele and bats it in to make it 3-2.

Jack Drury battles in front of the net and tips a shot in, but it's obviously called back because it was easily the highest stick I have ever seen redirect a shot, and it's appropriately called back for high-sticking. Hellebuyck is pulled with just under two minutes remaining, but the Avalanche does a great job keeping it out of the offensive zone to lock in the 3-2 win.

The Avalanche are back in action Sunday, December 21, against the Minnesota Wild with their newest addition, Quinn Hughes.

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