National Hockey League
Colorado 5, Chicago 0
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 29, 2024
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Referees: Eric Furlatt, Chris Lee
Linesmen: CJ Murray, Libor Suchanek
Attendance: 18096

Zach Parise had two goals and an assist for the visiting Colorado Avalanche in a 5-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Nathan MacKinnon collected a goal and an assist to reach the 100-point plateau, Cale Makar had two assists and Justus Annunen made 24 saves for the Avalanche for his first NHL shutout.

Petr Mrazek made 29 saves for the Blackhawks, who have lost five straight (0-3-2) and 13 of their past 14 games (1-10-3).

Parise gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 17:58 of the first period. Jack Johnson pressured Anthony Beauvillier into a turnover along the left wall in the Avalanche zone and got to the loose puck in the neutral zone. Johnson took it to the top of the left circle before sending a no-look pass to Parise, who quickly fired from the opposite side.

Ross Colton scored on the power play to make it 2-0 at 6:56 of the second period. Mrazek stopped Colton's initial shot from the slot but couldn't smother it, and Colton collected the rebound and snapped it over the sprawled netminder.

MacKinnon picked up his 539th career assist on the goal, moving him past Peter Forsberg for third place in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise history.

Parise's second goal of the night pushed the lead to 3-0 less than a minute later. Mrazek came out of the blue paint to challenge Ryan Johansen driving toward the net from the right side. Johansen's attempt to tuck it in stayed just above the goal line in the crease and Parise backhanded it in from the other side at 7:38.

Devon Toews extended it to 4-0 with two seconds left in the period. Makar's shot missed the net and rimmed around the end boards to Mikko Rantanen along the left wall, where he fed a backhand to a pinching Toews for a quick strike from the left circle.

MacKinnon's team-leading 36th goal, a wrist shot short side from the right circle, made it 5-0 at 17:32 of the third period.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Colorado   Chicago
Zach Parise 3 Points N/A
Zach Parise 2 Goals N/A
Cale Makar 2 Assists N/A
Ross Colton 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Justus Annunen 1.000 Save Percentage Petr Mrazek .848
Justus Annunen 24 Saves Petr Mrazek 28
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Colorado 33 5 1-1 1-1 7 20
Chicago 24 0 0-1 0-1 7 27
Upcoming Games
  • Chicago will play their next game at home against Columbus. The Blackhawks have a W/L % of .067 after a win and .311 after a loss.
  • Colorado will play their next game on the road against Nashville. The Avalanche have a W/L % of .583 after a win and .640 after a loss.