For his efforts the last week, Avs star Mackinnon named NHL’s best player

The Avalanche are getting hot at the right time.

And they can thank their best player in a big way.

Superstar center Nathan MacKinnon was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on Monday, after he led the Avs to four wins out in California and the maximum of eight points. MacKinnon scored three game-winning goals as Colorado moved into first place in the Central Division with 104 points.

That's our ⭐️#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/OiBXAzbzNY

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 10, 2023

Overall in the four games, Mackinnon tallied 10 points, including five goals, which was tied for the league lead. He reached 100 points for the first time in his career, and became just the seventh member in franchise history to accomplish the feat. No Avs player had done it since Joe Sakic in 2006-2007.

Ironically, fellow star Mikko Rantanen also got to 100 points on Sunday night in the dramatic 5-4 overtime win over the Ducks. Rantanen also reached 50 goals with a hat trick in San Jose on Thursday.

But MacKinnon is playing on a different level than even Rantanen, as he’s scored the game-winner in five of Colorado’s last seven games. Only two other players in NHL history have netted that many clutch goals in such a short span.

The Avs have just three games left in the regular season and control their own destiny for first place in the division. MacKinnon is a huge reason why, and the NHL was right to recognize that on Monday.

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