Despite being down 3-0 after twelve minutes against the hottest goalie in the league on Thursday night, the Oilers never wavered. They chipped and pushed and forced their way back from the early deficit, eventually pulling out a thrilling 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

The Colorado Avalanche haven’t made much progress in contract negotiations with star goal scorer Mikko Rantanen, and there might still be a ton of work to be done. While the Avalanche don’t have any plans of trading Rantanen,

We are firmly into the second half with a neck-and-neck-and-neck race for the top of the fantasy podium. Connor Hellebuyck will surely start getting some additional rest later in the season, so the race at the top right now is between Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon.

Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon extended Colorado’s lead in its Western Conference showdown against the Oilers with two first-period goals in rapid succession.

The Colorado Avalanche host the Dallas Stars after Nathan MacKinnon's two-goal game against the Edmonton Oilers in the Avalanche's 4-3 loss

Jokic, now a three-time NBA MVP, finished 2023-24 averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists per game, compiling 25 triple-doubles and shooting 58.3% from the field. MacKinnon racked up a career-high 51 goals and a franchise-record 140 points in his Hart Trophy season, leading the NHL in shots on goal (405) and even-strength points (92).

One of the best players in the game is continuing to impress and is on pace to take home some more hardware. Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon is once again scoring at a torrid pace.

The Colorado Avalanche came into Thursday night with a primetime matchup that everyone wanted to see. The Edmonton Oilers have all the star power in the world and are seeking to win their first Stanley Cup in the Connor McDavid era.

It doesn’t matter if the Edmonton Oilers are 3-0 down, they’re the best darn team in the world. On Thursday, the Oilers played the second game of a back-to-back, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 after storming back from a serious deficit.

The Colorado Avalanche host the Dallas Stars after Nathan MacKinnon's two-goal game against the Edmonton Oilers in the Avalanche's 4-3 loss.

The Top 100 People of Power & Influence in hockey are featured annually in The Hockey News' Money and Power issue, available at THN.com/free. At No. 58 is Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Few are able to take over a contest like the reigning Hart Trophy winner.