Red Wings Buried By Avalanche As Trade Deadline Nears

DENVER —You can’t blame the Detroit Red Wings for being glad to be rid of the Colorado Avalanche.

That team’s three top players, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, were simply too much for the Red Wings in a 7-2 loss at Ball Center on Wednesday night.

Each registered four points as Colorado scored five unanswered goals in the second and third periods.

Makar recorded his first-ever hat trick and the first by a Colorado defenseman since Sandis Ozolinsh did it in 1999. He also had an assist.

MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to lift him to 40 goals and a league-high 109 points. Rantanen added four assists.

Red Wings Fall Silent on Offense

After skating to a 2-2 tie in the first period, the Avalanche put a blanket on the Wings in the second, outshooting them 23-6 and scoring three unanswered goals. The Avalanche added two more in the third to beat the Wings for the seventh time in a row at home. In those seven losses, they have been outscored 38-16.

Robby Fabbri and David Perron both scored for the Red Wings. Alex Lyon was replaced by James Reimer in the third period.

The Red Wings lost for the third game in a row, remaining in an Eastern Conference wild card spot, four points ahead of the New York Islanders.

Time is a flat circle: tempers are flaring up between the Avs and Red Wings 👀 pic.twitter.com/j0Pv2EWI9a

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 7, 2024

Along with the anticipation and suspense that has been part of this rivalry for more than a quarter-century was speculation possible deals going into Friday’s trade deadline. The Red Wings hadn’t made a deal going into Wednesday night, but the Avalanche were busy on Wednesday.

Colorado received forward Casey Mittelstadt from Buffalo for defenseman Bowen Byram. The Avalanche also got  defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 draft choice from Philadelphia. The Flyers got Ryan Johansen and a top-1o protected first-round pick.

Colorado GM Chris McFarland hinted more deals might be in store.

The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. Friday.

Ex-Red Wing Darren Helm was honored in a pregame ceremony. Helm retired after last season after 16 seasons, He played 14 seasons in Detroit and the last two in Colorado, winning Stanley Cups with both teams.

The Red Wings are at Arizona on Friday and at Las Vegas on Saturday.