MacKinnon extends home point streak to 34, Gretzky's record in sight
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Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 34 games on Sunday as he continues his pursuit to break Wayne Gretzky's record of 40.
MacKinnon had a goal and two assists in Colorado's 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, also extending his overall point streak to 18 games.
The 28-year-old centre has yet to be held without a point in a home game this season and could break Gretzky's record in Colorado's final game of the season on April 18 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Avalanche have three straight home games this week, with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Nashville Predators coming to town with MacKinnon potentially hitting 37 straight games before April 1.
Playing in the first of an eight-year, $100.8 million contract that carries a league-high $12.6 million cap hit this season, MacKinnon has already topped his career-best numbers. He has 44 goals and 122 points in 71 games, moving past current team president Joe Sakic (120 in 1995-96) for the most points in a season in Avalanche history.
The franchise record belongs to Peter Stastny, who had 139 points in 1981-82 with the Quebec Nordiques, which could still be in reach for MacKinnon this year.
“This guy's a phenomenal player, right? But that's pretty good company,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “When you're talking about our boss that's had such a phenomenal career, and then you watch what Nate's doing, it just speaks to who Nate is as a player and what he's capable of.”
MacKinnon is in the middle of a three-way race as he fights for his first Art Ross Trophy this season, sitting one point back of Nikita Kucherov after Sunday's performance. Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is five points back of MacKinnon as he tries to chase down the award for the sixth time in his career.