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DENVER – Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon put together a show that made the city of Cole Harbor proud. It was MacKinnon who got the right to boast of the city of Nova Scotia.
MacKinnon scored three goals and a goal, including one on Gabe Landeskog's score, midway through the third period, and Colorado Avalanche defeated Crosby's natural hat trick and defeated 6-3 on Wednesday night.
MacKinnon's team won the celebrity duel in his hometown, but Crosby nearly stole it with his 11th career hat trick.
"It's not easy when Sid starts," MacKinnon said. "He's starting to gallop over there."
Colorado has won its sixth straight game and is 8-0-1 in its last nine games.
MacKinnon, 23, and Crosby, 31, are both former first overall draft picks. They became off-season coaching partners and together produced television commercials. These things are set aside when they face each other twice a season, but Wednesday's game could be viewed a second time when they meet.
"I'm sure it's a game we'll be talking about for a while," MacKinnon said. "We do not play a lot, so for a regular season game, it's one of the most entertaining games I've ever been in. When we get Sid's hat trick, we obviously get a big one."
MacKinnon scored an empty goal with 29 seconds, his 18th goal of the season. Samuel Girard, Erik Johnson, Colin Wilson and Carl Soderberg also scored for Colorado and Mikko Rantanen had two badists.
MacKinnon, Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, the best triumph of the Avalanche with 42 points, scored eight points and continues to dominate. Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan did not hesitate when he was asked if the trio was the best he has seen this season.
"Yes," he says. "They are not easy to contain, they are three elite players who are all on the same line."
Sullivan has twice won the Hart Trophy in Crosby, and he offered a performance worthy of the best performances to the Penguins by clearing himself a 3-0 deficit.
He struck twice at the last minute of the second period. His first goal came from his own rebound during a breakaway with 52 seconds to go and he scored again 10 seconds from the end, while Colorado defender Patrik Nemeth was absent. Crosby tied at 4:43 of the third goal to complete his first hat trick of the season. He has 13 goals.
"Sid has been trying to make us win through his efforts," said Sullivan. "I thought he was great, he was great all night."
Landeskog broke the tie with his 15th goal at 10:05. The Penguins used Tristan Jarry for an extra skater, but MacKinnon and Soderberg scored to seal it.
"We did not give up, so that's a good thing," said Crosby. "Whatever it is, when you put yourself in this position to get back into the game after getting back three, you want to at least get a point."
Girard gave Colorado a 1-0 lead with his second goal at 11:19 of the first period. Johnson scored at 5:13 of the second and Wilson 3-0 at 7:52.
The Penguins challenged Johnson's goal of goalkeeper interference, but it was maintained after scrutiny.
NOTES: Colorado D Tyson Barrie missed his second consecutive game with a lower body injury. … Pittsburgh D Kris Letang, who set a franchise record for games played in Winnipeg on Tuesday, saw his four-point stretch break. … Colorado is 1-1-1 in the second game sets back to back this season. He is 3-1-0 in the first match. … The first penalty was not called until Crosby fired a shot at goal holding minor 49 seconds after the start of the second period. Colorado, Alexander Kerfoot, had a serious problem 19 seconds later.
FOLLOWING
Penguins: Welcome Philadelphia Saturday night.
Avalanche: Welcome St Louis Friday night.
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