What happened: Colorado finished its road swing with a 4-1 victory, sealing the win with an empty-net goal in the final minutes. The Avalanche took five of six possible points on the trip despite losing their top two skaters to multi-week injuries.
Why it matters: Banking points remains crucial as MacKinnon is out at least a month and Makar is sidelined two weeks. Maintaining pace in the standings without their franchise center and top defenseman eases pressure on the depth rotation during an extended stretch shorthanded.
By the numbers: Colorado compiled a 2-0-1 mark on the road trip, outscoring opponents 7-3 across the final two games without MacKinnon in the lineup.
What to watch: Colorado returns home to continue its schedule while Makar aims for a late-November return and MacKinnon targets mid-December.