By Canadian Press

Adam Werner shines in NHL debut, MacKinnon with four points as Avs beat Jets 4-0

Nov 12, 2019 | 9:17 PM

WINNIPEG — Adam Werner made 40 saves in his NHL debut and Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-0 on Tuesday for their third straight victory.

Werner’s shutout is shared with Pavel Francouz, who started in net for the Avalanche but only lasted 31 seconds after getting injured. 

Francouz was run into by an off-balance Mark Scheifele and fell back and hit his head on the ice. He went to the dressing room and the 22-year-old native of Sweden stepped between the pipes for his first NHL game.

Rookie defenceman Cale Makar opened the scoring for the Avalanche (11-5-2). Joonas Donskoi had a goal and two assists and Matt Calvert contributed a pair of assists.

Makar now has 18 points in 18 games to lead all NHL rookies. The Calgary native is also on a four-game point streak with four goals and three assists.

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It was the first time this season the Jets (10-8-1) were shut out.

Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for Winnipeg, which ended its four-game homestand going 2-1-1.

Colorado continues to overcome injuries to key players.

Starting netminder Philipp Grubauer missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury, but took part in some of the team’s practice on Monday. Top-line forwards Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog remain sidelined.

Colorado, which was starting a five-game road trip, led 1-0 after the first period and held that lead after two.

The Avalanche had two power plays in the opening period, including Scheifele’s for goaltender interference. Makar hit the crossbar during the second man advantage.

Makar then scored when he got around Jets forward Mathieu Perreault and paused a moment before putting a low shot past Hellebuyck at 19:01.

Werner made a snapping glove save when Winnipeg sharpshooter Patrik Laine blasted a one-timer at him during a first-period power play.

Called up from the Eagles, Colorado’s American Hockey League affiliate, on Nov. 7, Werner faced a 2-on-1 of Scheifele and Kyle Connor late in the second, but held up against Connor’s shot.

The Jets were outshooting the visitors 21-16 after the second.

MacKinnon quickly gave the Avalanche a 2-0 lead when he scored his 10th goal of the season 18 seconds into the third period and added his second of the game at 7:13. Donskoi finished off the scoring with a goal off a rebound at 13:13.

Winnipeg heads out for a four-game road trip, starting Thursday in Florida against the Panthers. Colorado travels to Edmonton to take on the Oilers Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2019.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press