MacKinnon Hits 50 First, But the Avalanche Collapsed When It Mattered

Nathan MacKinnon became the first player in the NHL to reach 50 goals this season Wednesday night, and he made sure everyone knew it. The Colorado forward ripped a liner from up top that beat Vancouver goaltender Kevin Lankinen early in the first period, then slid on his right knee while pumping his right glove in celebration. It was a moment worth savoring, because it was basically the only bright spot for the Avalanche in a brutal 8-6 loss to the Canucks.

A Historic Achievement in a Brutal Loss

MacKinnon's 50-goal milestone puts him in some elite company. It's the second 50-goal season of his career, making him the third player in Colorado/Quebec franchise history to reach that mark multiple times. Only Hall of Famers Joe Sakic (twice) and Michel Goulet (four times) have done it before him. And get this: MacKinnon is only the second skater ever in franchise history to hit 50 goals first during an NHL season, joining Milan Hejduk from the 2002-03 season.

Statistically, MacKinnon is in the conversation for best in the league. He's tied with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov at 121 points for second overall. Edmonton's Connor McDavid leads the way, four points ahead of both of them. For MacKinnon, this marks his fourth straight season with 110 or more points.

But That Doesn't Matter If You Lose Like This

Here's where the reality check comes in: the Avalanche trailed 6-2 at one point and couldn't hold it together until the final buzzer. Yeah, they rallied late and got it tied up, but they still took the loss. Coach Jared Bednar wasn't interested in celebrating effort after the game.

"If you want to hand out badges for good effort and stuff like that, I think we're beyond that at this time of year," Bednar said. "If we're making excuses for that performance, it's going to be a short run."

When asked what went wrong in the opening two periods, Bednar kept it blunt: "It's too long of list." That's never a good sign when your head coach doesn't even want to get into it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.