DENVER — Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon probably deserved a hat-trick. Or more.
Thanks to his puck-stopping pal, one was enough.
MacKinnon notched the game-winning goal and Philipp Grubauer racked up 32 saves to lead the Avalanche to a 3-0 shutout triumph Thursday, evening their second-round series against the San Jose Sharks at two victories apiece.
It’s now a best-of-three as the action shifts back to SAP Center in San Jose for Saturday’s Game 5 (7 p.m. PT, CBC/NBC).
Colin Wilson also found the back of the net for the hosts at Pepsi Center, while Mikko Rantanen — shining alongside MacKinnon and captain Gabriel Landeskog on the top line — collected a pair of assists and Erik Johnson sealed the result with a late empty-netter.
MacKinnon, who is riding an eight-game point-streak, and Rantanen are now tied for the post-season scoring lead with 13 points each.
Thursday’s clash was scoreless through 30 minutes when that duo combined to finally put the first ink on the stat-sheet.
Sharks goalie Martin Jones had just denied Rantanen on a deflection, but MacKinnon buried his second whack at the rebound to lift the locals to a lead they would never give back.
Jones robbed Colorado’s first-line centre of another shoulda-been marker shortly before the second intermission, flashing his left pad for a highlight-reel save after a juicy bounce off the end-boards.
Wilson provided some insurance on a power-play early in the third period, finishing off a no-doubter after a fantastic feed by Rantanen.
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