COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cale Makar scored to become just the ninth NHL defenseman with 30 goals in a season and the Colorado Avalanche clinched a playoff berth with a 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.
Makar also had two assists while Charlie Coyle, Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews also had a goal and two assists each for the Avalanche, who scored five straight times after falling behind 3-2 in the second period.
Miles Wood, Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson also scored for Colorado while Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves.
Sean Monahan, Zachary Aston-Reese and Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets and Elvis Merzlikins made 21 saves before being lifted with about 14 minutes to play.
Takeaways
The Avalanche secured a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the win, their second in two nights after beating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday.
The Blue Jackets needed a win to stay close in the chase for an Eastern Conference wild card, but the loss coupled with Montreal’s win over Boston put them four points behind the Canadiens.
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Local reaction after Hegseth directs 20% cut to top military leadership positions
We are getting reaction to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's order to senior Pentagon leadership to cut top military leadership positions. Hegseth sent the memo to the leadership today.Join us as we follow over 50 Southern Colorado veterans on their emotional Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Witness the camaraderie and gratitude as these heroes embark on a journey to visit the monuments dedicated to their service.
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