DENVER (AP/KDVR) — Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar scored power-play goals two minutes apart in the first period and Philipp Grubauer earned a shutout in the Colorado Avalanche 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks.
Grubauer stopped 21 shots and showed no signs of rust in his first game since April 12. It was his sixth shutout of the season.
Mikko Rantanen notched two assists and an empty-net goal, and Joonas Donskoi assisted on Makar’s goal in both players’ return from the COVID-19 protocol list.
Ryan Graves left in the first period with an upper-body injury. Samuel Girard exited the game after he awkwardly went into the boards on a hit by Sharks forward Kevin Labanc in the third.
Nathan MacKinnon received a fighting major and roughing minor in the third period after the Labanc hit on Girard and did not return to the game. He was pointless in the matchup, ending a 15 game streak.
“He goes in, sticks up for a teammate. I’ve come to expect that from him. He’s a highly competitive guy, he didn’t like the hit, I didn’t either and he’s on the ice so he jumps in there and takes exception to it,” coach Jared Bednar said of MacKinnon’s penalties. “To me it’s always acceptable, as long as he doesn’t get hurt doing it.”
Sharks goaltender Martin Jones made 33 saves.