![\"NHL:](\"https:\/\/images.deadspin.com\/tr:w-900\/27892126.jpg\")
Dec 27, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) loses the puck between Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Ben Hutton (17) and defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nNathan MacKinnon scored his league-leading 31st goal to go with two assists and also scored the game-winner in the fourth round of the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche edged the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n MacKinnon skated down the slot and ripped a wrist shot past the glove side of Carter Hart for the winner as the Avalanche extended their winning streak to seven games and their point streak to 10 games (9-0-1). It was Colorado’s first win in five shootouts this season, and it had to twice rally from two-goal deficits in regulation to get there.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Martin Necas scored two goals, Samuel Girard had a goal and an assist, Sam Malinski had three assists and Artturi Lehkonen scored a 6-on-5 goal with 1:57 to go to force overtime for the Avalanche. Scott Wedgewood finished with 20 saves.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Alexander Holtz had a goal and an assist, Noah Hanifin had two assists and Ivan Barbashev, Ben Hutton, Brett Howden and Colton Sissons also scored for Vegas, which fell to 4-11 in games beyond regulation and 1-5 in shootouts. Hart made 33 saves.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Vegas took a 1-0 lead at the 2:43 mark of the first period when Holtz, skating down the slot, redirected Hanifin’s pass inside the right post for his first goal since April 12, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n Barbashev extended the lead to 2-0 at the 34-second mark of the second period when he finished an odd-man rush with Mitch Marner with a wrist shot through Wedgewood’s pads.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Colorado rebounded to tie it, 2-2, later in the period with the help of a couple of friendly bounces off Vegas defensemen. Girard cut it to 2-1 when his shot into the low slot redirected off the stick of defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and over Hart’s left shoulder. Necas followed with a wrist shot that caromed off the hip of defenseman Kaedan Korczak and bounced past the right skate of Hart.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n But Vegas answered with two goals in a 29-second span later in the period to take a 4-2 lead. Hutton got the first with a one-timer from above the right circle over Wedgewood’s glove. Howden, rushing down the slot, followed with a redirect of a Reilly Smith saucer pass past Wedgewood’s blocker side.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Avalanche rallied to tie it again, 4-4, early in the third period on goals by Necas, who whipped a wrist shot from the left circle over Hart’s left shoulder, and MacKinnon, who tapped in a rebound of Malinski point shot that leaked under Hart’s right arm and trickled by the goal line.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Sissons made it 5-4 for Vegas with four minutes to go when he rushed down the right wing and put in a backhand shot around Wedgewood, who was pulled for an extra attacker with 2:47 remaining. Lehkonen then tied it with 1:57 left when he one-timed a MacKinnon pass into the slot past Hart’s glove side.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Necas and MacKinnon found the net in the shootout, while only Marner beat Wedgewood for Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n