Makar Assists on All 3 Goals in Avs' 3-1 Win Over Flames

In Calgary, Cale Makar wasted no time making his presence felt upon returning from a seven-game absence, assisting on all three Colorado Avalanche goals in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. The win extended the Avalanche's road winning streak to eight games and capped a grueling regular season for the Presidents' Trophy winners, who clinched the top seed in the Western Conference last week.

Makar, the reigning Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top defenseman and a Calgary native, returned from an upper-body injury that sidelined him since early April. He was unavailable for postgame comments while receiving medical treatment, but his contributions were evident throughout. In the second period, Makar orchestrated the tying goal by patiently holding the puck in the corner before delivering a precise pass through the slot to Artturi Lehkonen, who one-timed it past Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf for a 1-1 score. Captain Gabriel Landeskog later netted the game-winner with under five minutes remaining in regulation, and Nathan MacKinnon sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, his league-leading 53rd of the season.

Avalanche forward MacKinnon lauded his...