Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, left, congratulates center Ross Colton after his goal against the Ottawa Senators in the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER (AP) — Logan O’Connor and Ross Colton scored 1:32 apart in a high-scoring third period, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on Sunday night for their fifth straight win.
Nikolai Kovalenko scored his first NHL goal for Colorado, which had to survive a furious rally from Ottawa to get its second win at home. Josh Manson scored his first goal of the season for the Avalanche, who have bounced back from an 0-4-0 start to the season.
The Senators trailed 2-0 when Brady Tkachuk and Nick Cousins scored 2:08 apart midway through the third. O’Connor and Colton answered to restore the two-goal lead but Claude Giroux answered at 16:48.
Ottawa pulled Anton Forsberg for an extra skater and Nathan MacKinnon scored into an empty net at 18:45. Giroux’s second of the night made it a one-goal game in the final 13 seconds.
Takeaways
Senators: Ottawa has been able to score goals but not win. The Senators nearly rallied from three down Friday night in Dallas and couldn’t finish a comeback Sunday night.
Avalanche: Goalie Justus Annunen has been in net for Colorado's last four wins and has seemingly taken over the No. 1 spot from struggling Alexandar Georgiev. Annunen made 26 saves
Key moment
The Senators played musical goaltenders early in the second period. Forsberg went to the bench with an equipment problem that wasn’t quickly resolved, so Linus Ullmark came in. Forsberg returned at the next stoppage but left less than two minutes later. He returned midway through the period.
Key stat
MacKinnon has a point in all nine games to start the season for the second time in his career. He also did it in the 2017-18 season.
Up next
The Senators return home to play St. Louis on Tuesday night while the Avalanche host Chicago on Monday night.
Colorado Avalanche right wing Logan O'Connor, left, is congratulated after scoring a goal by defensemen Samuel Girard, second from left, and Josh Manson, right, in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche right wing Chris Wagner (14) uses his stick to check Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle (18) as they pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk, center, struggles to shoot against Colorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen, left, as Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson, right, battles for position in the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
An equipment manager, third from left, tries to repair a skate of Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg, front, in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, front, collects the puck as Ottawa Senators right wing Michael Amadio falls in pursuit in the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A trainer, right, follows Ottawa Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic, left, who skates off the ice after being injured in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen waits for play to resume in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris, left, sweeps around the net to shoot against Colorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen (60) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche right wing Nikolai Kovalenko, right, falls after he was tripped by Ottawa Senators right wing Michael Amadio (22) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark, right, skates out to the net to replace goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) who suffered an equipment failure in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg waits for play to resume in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
