Avalanche Dominate Red Wings, MacKinnon Reaches 40-Goal Mark

Colorado continues its mastery over Detroit with a 5-0 shutout victory.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 11:15pm

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Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to become the NHL's first 40-goal scorer this season, leading the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-0 rout of the Detroit Red Wings. The Avalanche extended their dominance over the Red Wings, improving to 14-0-1 in their last 15 meetings. Mackenzie Blackwood recorded his third shutout of the season, making 28 saves for Colorado.

Why it matters

This game highlights the Avalanche's continued success against the struggling Red Wings, who have now been blanked four times this season. MacKinnon's milestone 40th goal also demonstrates his elite scoring prowess, as he continues to chase down league-leading scorer Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

The details

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including a highlight-reel individual effort, to reach the 40-goal mark. Brent Burns, Ross Colton, and Parker Kelly also found the back of the net for the Avalanche. Colorado's defense was stifling, limiting the Red Wings to just 28 shots on goal. Detroit goaltenders John Gibson and Cam Talbot combined for 16 saves in the loss.

  • The Avalanche grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period.
  • MacKinnon scored his first goal midway through the first period.
  • MacKinnon scored his second goal at 13:33 of the second period.

The players

Nathan MacKinnon

A star center for the Colorado Avalanche who became the NHL's first 40-goal scorer this season.

Mackenzie Blackwood

The Avalanche goaltender who recorded his third shutout of the season with 28 saves.

Connor McDavid

The Edmonton Oilers center who leads the NHL in scoring and is chasing MacKinnon for the goal-scoring title.

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What’s next

The Avalanche will look to continue their dominance over the Red Wings when the two teams meet again on February 15th in Denver.

The takeaway

This game showcases the Avalanche's status as one of the NHL's top teams, led by the dynamic scoring of Nathan MacKinnon. Meanwhile, the Red Wings' struggles against Colorado highlight the work they still need to do to become a consistent playoff contender.