There were some exaggerated exhales Saturday afternoon at Ball Arena. Gavin Brindley and Cale Makar both snapped goal-scoring droughts and the Avs grinded out a 3-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Makar scored twice, including one into an empty net, and Nathan MacKinnon had a pair of assists to help Colorado win for the second time in three games since a three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics. “Yeah, that was a big one,” Brindley said. “Cale had a big goal at the end of the second, just to get us going. I thought we did a great job tonight. We controlled the pace of the game. I thought we were really good and probably deserved a couple more goals. “That’s how it goes sometimes. Good job by the boys to finish it off.” Sam Malinski’s second try from the top of the offensive zone created a rebound near the left post, and Brindley was there to pounce on it at 7:31 of the third period. It was Brindley’s sixth goal of the season, but his first since Dec. 11. Brindley, acquired in an offseason trade from Columbus, had a fast start to his rookie season with Colorado, but had just two assists in his past 25 contests before this game-winning goal. “This guy comes out every day and does the ‘goalie school’ shootings with me and (Scott Wedgewood). It’s an unforgiving job,” Avs goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, who made 14 saves, said. “He’s got to get on the ice a little extra early, but it’s paying off for him. He’s getting his reps in, and he’s going to be a good player.” The Avs had three power-play chances in the second period, and part of a fourth that carried over from the opening period. It was more than six minutes with the man advantage, but Chicago has the top-ranked penalty kill, and Colorado remains last on the power play. The home side did not score with the extra man in the period, but Makar’s goal with 8.3 seconds remaining in the middle frame was spiritually a tally for the top power-play unit. Oliver Moore came out of the box seven seconds before the goal, but the rest of the Blackhawks on the ice were gassed from a lengthy PK shift, and the Avs took full advantage. MacKinnon sent the puck from near the goal line to the left of the Chicago net to Makar in the right circle. He didn’t get close to max power on his one-timer, but placed it well, and goaltender Spencer Knight was moving the wrong direction as the puck fluttered past him. “It was good,” Makar said. “I think we still would have got it in the third. It felt like we were grinding all the way from halfway through the first period into the second and doing so many good things. We just weren’t getting the right bounces.” Related Articles As Avalanche funk persists, the door has cracked open for Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars Avalanche discipline, power play falters, Central Division lead shrinks in 5-2 loss to Wild New Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak brings versatility, experience playing with world-class talent: “I’m pretty fortunate” Avalanche fend off Mammoth without Nathan MacKinnon in first game after Olympic break Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon will miss first game after Winter Olympics That was Makar’s 16th goal of the season, but his first in nine games for the Avs. While Makar earned all-tournament honors at the Olympics in Milan, he had no goals and three points in the past eight NHL contests, which is pretty easily the least-productive stretch of his season. “I think I was more just hoping that it would be a power-play goal for us,” Makar said. The Avs officially went 0-for-4 with the man advantage, and are now 2-for-35 on the power play since Jan. 12. Colorado has allowed four shorthanded goals in that span, though one was into an empty net. “We wish we could score every single power play,” Makar said. “I think that’s what the fans expect. But for us right now, we’ve just got to continue building it. I feel like there were times tonight that we did good things. We did get puck movement and generated some opportunities.” “I think that’s just going to come the more and more we continue to work.” Connor Bedard put Chicago on the board first with a power-play goal. Tyler Bertuzzi got behind Devon Toews on a rush, so the Avs defenseman took a penalty to prevent a scoring chance. It only took 21 seconds for the Blackhawks to capitalize. Bertuzzi sent a cross-ice pass to Bedard in the right circle, and the lethal release that helped make him the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft led to his 25th goal of the season. Colorado’s penalty kill reached the Olympic break ranked No. 2 in the league, but Utah, Minnesota and Chicago have combined to score four times with the man advantage in the past three contests. Colorado held a 14-4 advantage in shots on goal through 20 minutes, but the Avs didn’t create many great chances in the period, either. Similar to two days prior against the Wild, the Avs found some mid-range scoring chances, but not a lot close to the net or plays where Knight had to be great to keep the puck out. Makar’s empty-netter sealed the win for Colorado. After a 31-2-7 start, the Avs have struggled to regain their league-best form. This win got them back to “hockey .500” since the historic start at 8-8-2 in the past 18 contests. Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis. ...read more read less