The Colorado Avalanche have been one of the NHL’s most entertaining teams for over half a decade, and Wednesday night was no different.
While their record-setting eight-goal performance and a Nathan MacKinnon fight made for an unforgettable evening vs. the Los Angeles Kings, the Avalanche added another bizarre stat: They scored four power-play goals but also allowed two shorthanded goals.
After MacKinnon knocked home a power-play goal at the 0:23 mark of the second frame to put Colorado up 3-1, Joel Armia stole the puck and fired a wrister past goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to cut the Avalanche’s lead to one just over a minute later.
Trevor Moore notched the Kings‘ second short-handed goal just when Colorado threatened to blow the game open. With Los Angeles trailing 5-2, Moore took control of an errant MacKinnon pass that went off the glass. He bolted down the ice and could have fired the puck across to Scott Laughton, but called his own number and fired it into the net on a wrist shot.
Avalanche’s Power Play Was Nevertheless Dominant
Despite giving up two short-handed goals to the Kings, scoring four times on the power play can set the tone for the rest of the season. Colorado still scored on 80 percent of its opportunities. Its own short-handed unit shut out the Kings, going 4-for-4.
While it was only one game, it sets the stage for a quick turnaround. Despite finishing first with 298 goals last season, the power play plagued the Avalanche. They converted on just 17.11 percent of their chances on 263 opportunities.
That left them ranked 27th in power-play percentage, despite being tied for third in opportunities. Colorado was outstanding at drawing penalties. They just couldn’t convert consistently, finishing with just 45 power-play goals. That was five below the league average.
It’s also worth noting that the Avalanche ranked first in goals allowed last season with 197, showing that they were among the NHL’s best all-around teams. Their penalty kill also finished first with a percentage of 84.62 — by over a full point. If the power play continues to trend north, the unit could find itself right up there with its short-handed group.
Colorado’s Power Play Can Build Momentum Early In 2026-27
The Avalanche’s upcoming games feature just one top-10 penalty-killing unit from 2025-26: the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto ranked eighth with an 81.22 penalty-killing percentage. And with a revamped lineup, the Leafs could boast an even greater penalty kill in 2026-27.
The other teams on the schedule include St. Louis, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Dallas. None of the above finished higher than 12th, with the Flames pacing the four teams with an 80.41 penalty-killing percentage. Dallas clocked in 13th at 80.32.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg finished 21st at 77.63 percent, and St. Louis rounded out the pack in 25th at 76.58, in what were trying seasons for both clubs.
Now, it’s up to the Avalanche to keep themselves at full throttle on the man advantage. If they eliminate the few mistakes that led to those short-handed goals, then Colorado’s power play unit will be fun for fans to watch. That may be their biggest challenge in the early stages of 2026-27.
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