Gavin Brindley's OT Goal Lifts Avalanche Past Canucks
Gavin Brindley scored just 1:08 into overtime, securing a 5–4 victory for the Colorado Avalanche over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night. Bringing the puck into the Vancouver zone, Brindley fired a shot at Kevin Lankinen, then tapped in his own rebound between the goalie’s pads to seal Colorado’s first win in six overtime appearances this season.
Nathan MacKinnon led the Avalanche with two goals and three assists, while Artturi Lehkonen contributed two goals. Valeri Nichushkin earned two assists, and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 of 33 shots in just his second start of the year.
MacKinnon’s back-to-back four-point performances pushed him to the top of the NHL leaderboards with 29 points and 14 goals. Colorado has now won five of its last six games, recording at least one point in each contest during that stretch.
For the Canucks, Jake DeBrusk, Drew O'Connor, Kiefer Sherwood, and Linus Karlsson each scored, while Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves in a losing effort. The defeat marked Vancouver’s first loss beyond regulation in five overtime appearances this season.
Key Moments
- MacKinnon put Colorado ahead 1–0 at 6:41 of the first period on a one-timer from Nichushkin.
- He doubled the lead less than two minutes later with a wrist shot past Lankinen.
- This goal was his 381st career tally, moving him past Peter Stastny for third on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.
Franchise Leaders
- Joe Sakic – 625 goals
- Michel Goulet – 456 goals
- Nathan MacKinnon – 381 goals
“Brindley tapped it between the goaltender’s leg to give Colorado its first win in six games beyond regulation.”
Author’s Summary
Brindley’s overtime heroics and MacKinnon’s dominant night powered Colorado to a hard-fought win over Vancouver, halting their extra-time drought.