DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, dropped the gloves with Brandt Clarke and helped lead the Colorado Avalanche to an emphatic 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on opening night at Ball Arena.

The reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner made his presence felt in just about every way possible. He scored 23 seconds into the second period, added another goal later in the frame and then, with Colorado protecting a three-goal lead in the third, squared up with Clarke in a fight that sent both players to the penalty box.

“It’s an intense game, and obviously he didn’t say a great word to me, so I didn’t like the word,” MacKinnon said afterward. “Yeah, we fought.”

MacKinnon said he initiated the challenge, pointing to the way Clarke plays as part of the reason tensions boiled over.

“He plays hard, he gets under guys’ skin,” MacKinnon said. “He’s a really good defenseman. But sometimes when you play like that, you have to fight sometimes.”

It was an eventful opening night for more than just MacKinnon.

Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, while Brock Nelson recorded a goal and two assists in his Colorado debut. Parker Kelly, Nicolas Roy and Gabriel Landeskog also found the back of the net, and MacKenzie Blackwood stopped 27 of 31 shots in his Avalanche debut.

Colorado's power play went 4-for-5 on the night, while Darcy Kuemper struggled at the other end, allowing eight goals on 29 shots for a .724 save percentage.

First Period

The opening draw of the 2026-27 season was won by the Avalanche. After briefly losing possession, MacKinnon drove the puck down the ice and fired the game's first shot, which Kuemper easily gathered.

Colorado generated a quality opportunity nearly three minutes into the game when Nazem Kadri gained control along the left wing and carried the puck into the offensive zone before finding an open Nicolas Roy. Roy closed in on Kuemper, but the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy finalist turned aside the high-danger chance with a blocker save.

The Avalanche were awarded their first power play of the season when Kings forward Andre Lee shot the puck out of play for a delay-of-game penalty. For the first time this season, Avalanche fans got a look at the supposedly new-and-improved power play.

And improved it was.

Brock Nelson opens up our season with a power play goal ???? pic.twitter.com/Vr397atOCk

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

Colorado opened the scoring at 6:33 when Brock Nelson capitalized on a broken play. Jaden Schwartz's pass was initially intended for Artturi Lehkonen, but the puck deflected off his stick and landed perfectly for Nelson, who was waiting in the slot. The veteran forward snapped it past Kuemper just inside the left post for his first goal of the season.

Just past the halfway mark, Colorado went to its first penalty kill of the season after Schwartz was whistled for hooking.

With nearly nine minutes remaining in the period, Los Angeles had a golden opportunity to tie the game when Adrian Kempe — the Kings' leading scorer last season — unloaded a blistering one-timer from the low slot. But MacKenzie Blackwood was up to the task, making a spectacular save to keep Colorado ahead 1-0.

The Avalanche successfully killed off the penalty, starting the season a perfect 1-for-1 on both the power play and penalty kill.

Los Angeles eventually broke through with 4:46 remaining. Brian Dumoulin took a drop pass from Alex Laferriere and fired a shot through a maze of bodies in front of Blackwood, beating the goaltender to tie the game 1-1.

Devon Toews was sent to the penalty box for holding with roughly four minutes remaining after Joel Armia slashed his stick out of his hands. Toews responded by shoving Armia, but it was the Avalanche defenseman who ultimately received the penalty.

Just three seconds after the penalty expired, Parker Kelly restored Colorado's lead.

BREAKING: Great guy scores great goal ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YrhKadE4yt

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

Fresh off a career-high 21-goal season, the 27-year-old forward took a pass from Josh Manson and fired a wrist shot that deflected off Kuemper and into the net with 2:02 remaining. It was Kelly's first goal of the season, and fittingly, Taylor Swift's “The Fate of Ophelia” began playing over the loudspeakers inside Ball Arena immediately afterward.

Adrian Kempe and Kings captain Drew Doughty were both penalized late in the period, with Kempe called for tripping Schwartz and Doughty assessed a cross-checking penalty against T.J. Hughes. The penalty came just moments after Hughes, making his professional debut, was denied by Kuemper on a rebound opportunity.

After 20 minutes, the Avalanche held a 2-1 lead despite Los Angeles holding a 13-10 advantage in shots on net.

Second Period

The Avalanche began the period with 1:12 remaining on a 5-on-3 power play. And, much like their first man advantage of the night, they wasted little time converting.

MacKinnon made it a 3-1 game just 23 seconds into the period, giving Colorado its second power-play goal of the night and his first of the season.

Drop a woof in chat ???? pic.twitter.com/IubE059Eit

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

The Kings answered with a strike of their own. Moments after T.J. Hughes had the puck picked off by Joel Armia, the Kings forward snapped a wrist shot past Blackwood to cut Colorado's lead to 3-2.

At 8:33, MacKinnon scored his second goal of the night on a scintillating sequence. It started when Brent Burns connected with Martin Necas near center ice. Necas, coming off his first 100-point season, carried the puck up the ice, evaded a check and left a pass for MacKinnon, who skated into the zone before ripping a wrist shot past Kuemper to restore Colorado's two-goal advantage.

Just another day for The Dogg. pic.twitter.com/A1qHo5Vswe

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

Hughes was sent to the penalty box with 7:36 remaining after being assessed a roughing penalty against Brandt Clarke. The call came moments after Clarke took Cale Makar down from behind during a breakaway attempt.

Nicolas Roy then scored his first goal of the season with just over three minutes remaining on a wild sequence in front of the Kings' net. Kuemper sprawled across the crease attempting to make a save, while Schwartz ended up down inside the blue paint after being shoved from behind by Dumoulin. The goal stood after Los Angeles opted not to challenge for goaltender interference, giving Colorado a 5-2 lead.

The Kings answered shortly afterward when Trevor Moore beat Blackwood with a wrist shot while shorthanded, cutting the Avalanche's lead to 5-3 on what appeared to be a soft goal.

Colorado responded yet again.

Lehky adding on ???? pic.twitter.com/G7y2BGGBZw

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

After Joel Edmundson was called for slashing MacKinnon, the Avalanche went back to the power play and converted for the third time on the night. Lehkonen one-timed a pass from the slot off a slick feed from Nelson, restoring Colorado's three-goal cushion at 6-3.

The Avalanche carried that 6-3 lead into the second intermission.

Third Period

Artemi Panarin cut Colorado's lead to 6-4 with 8:09 remaining after Alex Turcotte slipped behind the Avalanche defense and screened Blackwood. Panarin found the loose puck and beat Blackwood five-hole to bring the Kings within two.

Just over a minute later, MacKinnon and Clarke dropped the gloves.

Dogg’s off the chain ⛓️‍???? pic.twitter.com/PHDyjJvQ7y

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

MacKinnon landed a pair of right hands before sending Clarke to the ice. After winning the fight, MacKinnon picked up his helmet and chucked it across the ice as he headed to the penalty box.

KEEP THE CHANGE ???? pic.twitter.com/E6dtLBICYE

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

The fight didn't derail Colorado's momentum.

Captain Gabriel Landeskog answered for Colorado, scoring on a backhand to restore the Avalanche's three-goal lead at 7-4. Turcotte was subsequently assessed a tripping penalty, giving Colorado an opportunity to go a perfect 4-for-4 on the power play.

LANDY BABY ???? pic.twitter.com/gU57dRJad6

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

☃️ pic.twitter.com/IWjOJvuszg

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 1, 2026

And the Avalanche did just that.

Lehkonen punched in his second goal of the night, extending Colorado's lead to 8-4 and putting the game firmly out of reach.

From there, Colorado closed out the opening-night victory in convincing fashion.

By the Numbers

MacKinnon finished the night with two goals, while Lehkonen also scored twice.

Nelson had a three-point night in his Colorado debut, recording one goal and two assists.

Blackwood stopped 27 of 31 shots in his first regular-season appearance for Colorado.

Kuemper struggled at the other end, allowing eight goals on 29 shots for a .724 save percentage.

The Avalanche finished 4-for-5 on the power play.

Next Game

The Avalanche (1-0) take on the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night at Ball Arena, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. local time.

The Blues will be playing the second half of a back-to-back after facing the Dallas Stars on the road Friday night at American Airlines Center.