DENVER (Interstat) — Josh Manson had two goals and two assists as the Colorado Avalanche routed the Ottawa Senators 8-2 on Thursday night at Ball Arena. The Avalanche scored twice in the first period and erupted for six goals in the second to secure their seventh consecutive victory over Ottawa. Brock Nelson also scored twice for Colorado, which improved to 18-0-2 at home this season. Nathan MacKinnon added a goal and three assists. Shane Pinto and Brady Tkachuk scored for the Senators, who fell to 20-23 overall. The announced attendance was 18,092. Colorado, now 32-11, opened a seven-game homestand with the win.

DENVER (Interstat) — Defenseman Josh Manson recorded two goals and two assists in a dominant all-around performance, leading the Colorado Avalanche to an 8-2 rout of the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night at Ball Arena. The Avalanche, opening a seven-game homestand, extended their remarkable home-ice record to 18-0-2 this season and secured their seventh consecutive victory over the Senators. The win improved Colorado’s record to 32-11, while Ottawa fell to 20-23. Manson, a 6-foot-3, 218-pound defenseman from Hinsdale, Illinois, was the game’s driving force, adding five shots on goal, four hits and seven penalty minutes to his offensive output. His night included a first-period fight with Ottawa’s Tyler Kleven and a pivotal role in a second-period explosion that put the game out of reach. The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the middle frame, transforming a competitive contest into a blowout. After Ottawa’s Shane Pinto cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1 early in the second period, the Avalanche unleashed a relentless six-goal barrage in under 16 minutes, showcasing their depth and offensive firepower. The avalanche of goals began with Martin Necas restoring the two-goal cushion on a power-play slap shot at 2:46, assisted by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Just over a minute later, veteran defenseman Brent Burns made it 4-1 with a wrist shot, with Manson and Ross Colton earning assists. Manson then netted his first of the night at 12:48, a slap shot from the point set up by Jack Drury and Zakhar Bardakov. Brock Nelson, who also finished with two goals, scored his first of the game on a 5-on-3 power play at 18:23, with MacKinnon and Makar picking up their second assists of the period. Nelson struck again just 1:41 later, at 16:04, converting a setup from Ilya Solovyov and Colton. The second-period onslaught was capped by Makar, who finished a tic-tac-toe play with MacKinnon and Manson at 4:35, making it 7-1 and chasing Ottawa starting goaltender Leevi Meriläinen, who was replaced by Mads Sogaard after allowing six goals on 31 shots. Colorado had built its initial lead in the first period. Manson opened the scoring at 10:11, finishing a play from Colton and Nelson. MacKinnon doubled the advantage at 17:14, wiring a wrist shot past Meriläinen with assists from Necas and Sam Malinski. Ottawa’s only other response came from captain Brady Tkachuk, who scored a third-period goal at 1:03, assisted by Kleven. Colorado goaltender Scott Wedgewood stopped 33 of 35 shots for the victory. The game grew increasingly chippy as the score widened, with the teams combining for 44 penalty minutes. Ottawa’s frustrations boiled over in the third period with misconduct penalties to David Perron and Ridly Greig, and a fighting major to Tim Stützle after a bout with Colorado’s Samuel Girard. Beyond Manson and Nelson, Colorado’s offense was prolific. MacKinnon tallied a goal and three assists. Colton contributed three assists, while Makar and Necas each had a goal and two assists. Burns added a goal and five shots. Ottawa’s Michael Amadio, a right wing from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, was held off the scoresheet with just a hit and two penalty minutes. The Senators, playing the second leg of a back-to-back after a loss in Utah on Wednesday, have now dropped two straight. The final score of 10 total goals sailed over the pregame over/under line of 6.5. The Avalanche, who had been installed as 1.5-goal favorites, easily covered the spread, outperforming a National Statistical game simulator projection of a 5-2 victory. The announced attendance was 18,092. Colorado continues its homestand Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ottawa returns home to face the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

AVALANCHE HOST SENATORS IN DENVER DENVER (Interstat) — The Colorado Avalanche, boasting one of the NHL’s best records, will look to get back on track when they host the struggling Ottawa Senators on Thursday night at Ball Arena. The Avalanche (31-11-0) have lost two straight, including a 4-2 defeat at Tampa Bay on Tuesday, after a dominant stretch where they won 10 of 11 games. Center Brock Nelson has been a consistent offensive force, recording points in eight of his last 10 games, including a two-goal performance in a win over Carolina on Jan. 3. Ottawa (20-21-0) arrives after a 5-3 home loss to Detroit on Monday, which snapped a brief two-game winning streak. The Senators have lost four of their last six and sit below the Eastern Conference playoff line. The game features a key matchup at center between Colorado’s Nelson and Ottawa’s dynamic Tim Stuetzle. Stuetzle has been productive amid his team’s inconsistency, tallying 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) over his last 11 games. He had two assists in the loss to Detroit. Colorado has dominated at home with an 18-3-0 record, while Ottawa is 9-12-0 on the road. The Avalanche won both meetings against the Senators last season by a combined score of 11-4. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, Colorado is projected to win 5-2. The Avalanche continue a four-game homestand Saturday against Columbus. Ottawa returns home to face Florida on Saturday, beginning a stretch where they play seven of their next eight at Canadian Tire Centre.