Nathan MacKinnon's third-period spree lifts Avalanche over Kraken

Nathan MacKinnon collected two goals and an assist -- all in the third period -- as the Colorado Avalanche rallied to defeat the host Seattle Kraken 5-3 on Tuesday.

Brock Nelson scored the tiebreaking goal and Artturi Lehkonen and Samuel Girard also tallied for the Avalanche, who improved to 5-0-1 in their past six games. Martin Necas, Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin each had two assists, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 34 saves.

Shane Wright, Jordan Eberle and Chandler Stephenson scored for Seattle, which lost its third straight and fell for the ninth time in 10 games (1-8-1). Goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped 33 of 37 shots against his former team.

Nelson got what proved to be the winner on the power play at 8:25 of the third period. MacKinnon's slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle went wide of the near post, but the puck ricocheted off the end boards and came out the other side of the net, where Nelson knocked it in as Grubauer dove to get across the crease.

MacKinnon added an empty-netter at 19:36, his league-leading 28th goal of the season. He also leads the NHL in points with 58.

Trailing 3-2, the Avalanche tied the score on MacKinnon's blistering slap shot from the top of the left faceoff that deflected off the rear end of Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson and past Grubauer at 2:40 of the third.

Seattle was awarded a penalty shot at 7:49 of the third after Josh Manson was whistled for covering the puck with his hand in the crease. Eberle's attempt went off the post, leaving the score tied at 3-3.

The Avalanche opened the scoring at 12:19 of the first period as Lehkonen redirected Necas' shot from the blue line past Grubauer.

The Kraken tied it on an odd-man rush at 3:03 of the second, with Wright batting in a rebound after Jani Nyman's shot went off the post.

Seattle took a 2-1 lead at 5:48 of the second as Eberle backhanded a rebound into an open net after Blackwood made a sprawling save.

The Avalanche tied it at 13:29 of the middle frame on Girard's slap shot from just outside the top of the right faceoff circle.

The Kraken regained the lead on a man advantage with six seconds left until the second intermission. Stephenson's shot from the right faceoff circle deflected off the skate of defenseman Brent Burns and between Blackwood's pads.

A scuffle 54 seconds into the third period led to Colorado's Burns and Manson and Seattle's Mason Marchment and Brandon Montour all getting double minors for roughing. Montour went to the locker room and didn't return.