DENVER (AP) - Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and three assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 7-1 on Friday night.
The five points were a career high for MacKinnon, who also set personal bests in goals (31) and assists (45) for the season. He reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his five-year career.
Tyson Barrie had a goal and an assist, and Gabriel Landeskog, Carl Soderberg and Matt Nieto also scored to help Colorado gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race with its 13 win in 14 home games.
The Avalanche jumped over idle St. Louis and Anaheim for the second wild card with 75 points. The Ducks were set to host Columbus later Friday.
Mikko Koivu scored for the Wild, who have lost two straight after winning five in a row to move into third in the Central Division.
Devan Dubnyk allowed five goals on 17 shots before being replaced by Alex Stalock after Soderberg's goal. Stalock had seven saves.
Landeskog and MacKinnon scored 2:26 apart midway through the first period to give Colorado a 2-0 lead, and then the Avalanche put it away in the second.
After Barrie made it 3-0, MacKinnon, Soderberg and Rantanen each scored in a span of 4:32 to make it 6-0. Soderberg's tally, which went off Eric Staal's skate, chased Dubnyk.
Koivu spoiled Semyon Varlamov's shutout bid with his 12th goal at 17:07 of the second period. Varlamov finished with 29 saves.
NOTES: Colorado C Colin Wilson suffered an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return. ... Avalanche D Anton Lindholm returned after missing five games with an elbow injury. ... Minnesota is 4-6-1 in the second night of back-to-back games. ... Colorado announced it had signed D Connor Timmins to an entry-level contract that begins next season. Timmins was the Avalanche's second-round draft pick last June. ... Wild C Charlie Coyle turned 26 on Friday.
UP NEXT
Wild: Host Detroit on Sunday.
Avalanche: Host Nashville on Sunday.
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