Cale Makar’s two-goal, one-assist night powers Avalanche past winless Flames, 7-3

The Colorado Avalanche flexed their offensive depth in Calgary, routing the winless Calgary Flames 7-3. Cale Makar led the charge with two goals and an assist, a performance that quickly turned the game into a statement for Colorado after it dropped the night before.

Colorado’s top-end scoring came through early and often, with Nathan MacKinnon adding a goal and two assists. The Avalanche jumped out of the gate with a multi-goal surge and kept pressure on even as the Flames tried to respond, forcing Calgary to play catch-up for most of the night.

Devon Toews and Jaden Schwartz each scored twice, giving the Avalanche multiple ways to hurt Calgary’s defense. When one line or unit was contained, another found space, and the scoring distribution helped Colorado build a lead that grew beyond a one-goal margin before the game settled into a wider gap.

Makar’s output was the most eye-catching piece of the evening. Two goals and a helper put him at the center of Colorado’s best stretches, and his ability to generate chances and convert them played directly into the Avalanche’s ability to turn sustained zone time into goals.

The result also mattered in the early-season standings picture. Colorado improved to 3-1-0, while Calgary remained winless. Equally important, the Avalanche’s bounce-back from a 3-2 loss in Winnipeg the previous night reinforced that they were not going to let one defeat change their tempo and attention to detail.

For the Flames, the loss was a reminder of the margin they have to close at both ends. Scoring only three goals against a Colorado team with multiple contributors made it difficult for Calgary to claw back once the Avalanche’s lead expanded, leaving the group to focus on tightening their defensive structure and creating more consistent offensive pressure of their own.

What to watch next is whether Colorado can sustain this scoring balance. Makar’s production matters, but so does the fact that Toews and Schwartz each delivered multi-goal nights alongside MacKinnon’s playmaking. For Calgary, the key will be how quickly it can find a path to offense while reducing the defensive breakdowns that allowed Colorado to capitalize so efficiently.