Avalanche lose in regulation for only second time, 17-game point streak snapped

Even for the Colorado Avalanche all good things must come to an end.

The Avs fell to the New York Islanders by a final score of 6-3 on Thursday, halting their 17-game point streak. It was also only Colorado’s second loss in regulation this entire season, as the Avalanche now have a splendid 19-2-6 record.

It wasn’t their night basically from the jump.

The Islanders were up 2-0 after the first period and then took a 4-0 lead in the second. The Avs tried to claw back, getting as close as 4-2 in the second and 5-3 in the third, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Colorado got a late power play and pulled Mackenzie Blackwood, setting up a 6-on-4 for two minutes, but couldn’t score. New York registered an empty-netter moments later and that was all she wrote.

Speaking of Blackwood, he did not have a sharp outing. Yes, the Islanders peppered him with 41 shots and he made 36 saves, but you can make a case he would’ve wanted at least two of the goals back.

The Avalanche got tallies from Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen, however it wasn’t enough.

No one is going to lose sleep over this because of course Colorado is going to drop games in regulation. Points in 17 straight, in which they went 14-0-3, is remarkable.

Now, it’s time to start a new streak. That journey will begin on Saturday afternoon as the Avalanche will stay in New York and take on the Rangers.

(Update 8:34 p.m.) –

The Islanders first goal was a bit controversial and Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar challenged it for goaltender interference. The review didn’t go Colorado’s way — and postgame Bednar wasn’t happy.

#Avs coach Jared Bednar on the first Islanders goal:

“Goalie interference is a joke. If that’s not goalie interference, I don’t know what is. You can’t just shove the goalie’s pads out of the way and create a loose puck.”

— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) December 5, 2025

We’ll see if the NHL catches wind of those comments and fines Bednar, but he isn’t wrong. Right now the rule isn’t clearly defined and no one seems to know what goalie interference actually is.

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