Avs Blowout Ducks, 8-2

The bottom six and balanced blueline beat up on battered Ducks.

Game 15 | 11.15.23
Colorado 8, Anaheim 2
Ball Arena | Denver, Colo.

Most nights it’s Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen driving the offense for the Colorado Avalanche.

Sometimes, though, it’s Joel Kiviranta, Frederik Olofson and Andrew Cogliano… and Sam Girard and Ross Colton and Devon Toews and Valeri Nichushkin.

For any fan who had to sit in Ball Arena and endure last Saturday night’s 8-2 drubbing at the hands of the hated St. Louis Blues, tonight’s game with the same score against the Anaheim Ducks had to be a cathartic experience. 

And it’s not like that top trio was invisible against the Ducks. Makar (3) and MacKinnon (2) combined for five assists, while Mikko — though held pointless — was physical and a presence throughout the game.

At the beginning of the season, Avs fans were most excited for a new-look third line. But it was a new-look fourth line that stole the show against a mightyless Ducks team. In his first regular-season home game as a member of the Avalanche, Kiviranta earned first-star honors with a three-point night (1-2-3), including a goal and a primary assist in just a 21-second span in the third period as the Burgundy and Blue put the game away.