Nathan MacKinnon had a power-play goal and three assists, and Artturi Lehkonen scored twice as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Friday night at Ball Arena in Denver, the Associated Press reported. T.J. Hughes scored his first NHL goal, and goalie Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots, the AP reported.

Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored 29 seconds apart midway through the first period to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead, the AP reported. The Penguins outshot Colorado 14-5 in the first period, the Denver Gazette reported. Lehkonen cut the lead before the break, then tied it 25 seconds into the second period. Captain Gabriel Landeskog put Colorado ahead nearly four minutes later, the AP reported.

Hughes, 24, tipped in a MacKinnon pass four seconds after a Colorado power play ended, the Denver Gazette reported. "It felt really good," Hughes said, according to the Gazette. "Nate gave me a great pass." MacKinnon added a power-play goal in the third period. Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs stopped MacKinnon on a penalty shot, the AP reported.

For Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby had an assist, the 1,110th of his career, moving him into sole possession of seventh place in NHL history, the AP reported. The box score shows Colorado at 5-2-1 and Pittsburgh at 3-4-1. The Penguins play at Vegas on Saturday night, and the Avalanche start a two-game road trip Monday in Philadelphia, the AP reported.

What we know: Colorado beat Pittsburgh 5-2 on Friday, with MacKinnon getting four points and Hughes scoring his first NHL goal.
What we don't: How the Penguins, now 3-4-1, will respond in Vegas on Saturday night.