Brock Nelson Dominates as Colorado Rolls to 7

Brock Nelson leads Avalanche blowout

Brock Nelson delivered a standout two-goal, two-assist performance as the Colorado Avalanche cruised to a 7–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, bouncing back emphatically after a shootout loss the previous night. Colorado’s offense overwhelmed Montreal from start to finish, turning the game into a statement win at Ball Arena.

Key performers and scoring

Nelson drove Colorado’s attack with four points, reaching the 600-point milestone in his NHL career when he ripped a wrist shot past Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobeš in the first period. His line consistently dictated play, turning defensive stops into quick-strike offense.

Gabriel Landeskog added two goals, including one that was initially credited to Nelson before being changed after review when the puck deflected off the captain on its way in. Nathan MacKinnon, Brent Burns, and Devon Toews each scored once, with MacKinnon also picking up multiple assists to continue his prolific start to the season.

Avalanche offensive surge

Nelson opened the scoring with his milestone wrister in the first period, setting the tone for Colorado’s dominance.
Landeskog struck later in the opening frame, giving the Avalanche a multi-goal cushion before intermission.
Early in the second period, Nelson won an offensive-zone faceoff cleanly back to Brent Burns, whose point shot found the net for his third goal of the season.
Nelson later buried his second goal off a sharp, no-look feed from Martin Nečas, completing his fourth career four-point game and his first such outing since 2021, also against Montreal.
In the third, Nečas set up Toews at the edge of the crease for the defenseman’s first goal of the season to extend the lead to 6–1.
Montreal briefly answered with a power-play strike from Lane Hutson, but Colorado responded with a power-play goal of its own when Landeskog tipped in a rebound for the final 7–2 margin.

Goaltending and special teams

Mackenzie Blackwood delivered another solid outing in net, stopping the majority of Montreal’s chances and helping Colorado navigate key penalty kills, including a sequence after Nelson’s high-sticking minor late in the first period. His stability allowed the Avalanche to play aggressively without losing structure in their own zone.

Colorado’s power play generated sustained pressure and ultimately converted in the third period, while Montreal’s failed goalie-interference challenge on Landeskog’s first goal led to an Avalanche man advantage that, although unsuccessful, further tilted momentum. Overall, Colorado controlled the special-teams battle even with Montreal’s lone power-play goal from Hutson.

Coaches’ and team perspective

Head coach Jared Bednar praised Nelson’s line for driving the team’s performance, noting that the group “set the tone” and looked like Colorado’s best unit throughout the game. The chemistry between Nelson, Landeskog, and their linemates has been building, and this outing showcased how dangerous they can be when fully synchronized.

The win extended Colorado’s strong run of form, highlighting both its offensive depth and its ability to respond decisively after a disappointing result. With Nelson hitting a major career benchmark in such dominant fashion, the Avalanche reinforced their status as one of the league’s most explosive teams.

“They’re coming together. I’ve liked a lot of their games here recently, and today, they kind of set the tone for us. They were our best line,” head coach Jared Bednar said of the Nelson-led unit.

Author’s summary

Nelson’s milestone night, combined with multi-goal support from Landeskog and steady goaltending by Blackwood, turned Colorado’s response to a prior shootout loss into a clear statement of confidence and offensive firepower.

Yahoo Sports — 2025-11-30