New Jersey Devils Colorado Avalanche game recap 2025: Avalanche dominate early

The New Jersey Devils arrived at Ball Arena riding high on an eight-game winning streak, their best start to a season in years. The Colorado Avalanche, meanwhile, had been mired in a four-game winless skid that had tested the patience of their fanbase. What unfolded on October 28, 2025, was a hockey game that defied all expectations—a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw the Avalanche explode for eight goals and snap both their slump and the Devils’ impressive run in emphatic fashion.

New Jersey Devils Colorado Avalanche game recap 2025: Avalanche dominate early

The tone was set immediately when Martin Necas opened the scoring just 1:24 into the first period. The power-play goal came courtesy of a vintage Cale Makar setup, with the defenseman threading a return pass to Necas in the left circle. The Czech forward wasted no time, burying a one-timer short side past Jacob Markstrom to give Colorado the early lead.

Less than three minutes later, the Avalanche struck again in dramatic fashion. Zakhar Bardakov, making just his 11th NHL appearance, showcased his speed and finishing ability on a breakaway opportunity. Parker Kelly’s cross-ice feed from the neutral zone sprung Bardakov into open ice, and the young forward made no mistake, firing a wrist shot under Markstrom’s blocker arm from the right circle.

The goal held special significance—it was Bardakov’s first NHL tally, made even more poignant by the fact that he was originally drafted by the Devils in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 22-year-old had waited patiently for his opportunity, and scoring against his former organization provided a storybook moment.

Jack Ahcan picked up his first-career NHL assist on the play, part of what head coach Jared Bednar later described as Bardakov’s best game in an Avalanche uniform. The early 2-0 deficit left the Devils reeling, searching for answers against a Colorado team that was suddenly clicking on all cylinders.

Through the opening 20 minutes, the Avalanche had completely outplayed a Devils team that had looked unstoppable during their winning streak. The message was clear: Colorado’s struggles were about to end, and they were going to end in spectacular fashion. As fans prepared for the middle frame, few could have predicted the offensive explosion that was about to unfold.

New Jersey Devils Colorado Avalanche game recap 2025: Power play excellence fuels offensive explosion

The second period began with Victor Olofsson announcing his arrival in Colorado. At 2:31, the veteran winger uncorked a snap shot from the right circle that sailed over Markstrom’s shoulder and nestled under the crossbar. It was Olofsson’s first goal of the season and his first as a member of the Avalanche—a monkey firmly removed from his back.

“It felt great,” Olofsson said postgame. “Like you said, I’ve been putting a lot of pucks on the net, and unfortunately not a lot in the net. But usually it does come when you keep shooting.”

His persistence was about to pay dividends in ways no one could have anticipated. Just over four minutes later, Nathan MacKinnon made it 4-0 with a display of pure power-play dominance. During a 5-on-3 advantage, MacKinnon unleashed a one-timer from the top of the left circle that clipped the top of Markstrom’s right pad and found twine. The goal was MacKinnon’s eighth of the season and continued his torrid scoring pace.

Parker Kelly added to the onslaught at 8:39 with a spectacular breakaway finish. Ross Colton collected a stretch pass from Brent Burns at the blue line and fed Kelly across the slot. The forward showed silky hands, executing a forehand-to-backhand deke before lifting a shot into an open net. With the secondary assist, Burns recorded his 915th career point, tying Bobby Orr for 11th most points by a defenseman in NHL history.

At 5-0, the game appeared over. The Devils’ winning streak was about to end in humiliation. But New Jersey had other ideas, and what followed was one of the most remarkable comebacks—and subsequent collapses—of the early season.

New Jersey Devils Colorado Avalanche game recap 2025: Devils mount furious comeback

Stefan Noesen sparked the Devils’ rally at 10:08 of the second period, capitalizing on a disrupted clearing attempt by Brent Burns. His snap shot off the far post cut the deficit to 5-1 and gave New Jersey their first reason to believe.

Just over 90 seconds later, Dougie Hamilton made it a three-goal game. His initial shot from the high slot was blocked in front, but the defenseman displayed excellent hand-eye coordination, gloving down the rebound and knocking it behind Scott Wedgewood at the left post. The building, which had been rocking moments earlier, suddenly grew tense.

Dawson Mercer continued the onslaught at 13:42, finishing a gorgeous passing sequence. Timo Meier’s centering pass appeared destined for Nico Hischier, but Mercer angled the puck away from his captain. Hischier quickly sent it back to Mercer for a tap-in from the edge of the crease, and suddenly it was 5-3.

Just 30 seconds later, Jack Hughes brought the Devils to within one. Skating in on a 3-on-2 rush, Hughes executed a silky drop pass through his legs to Jesper Bratt. The Swedish winger immediately returned the favor, and Hughes hammered a one-timer from below the right circle past Wedgewood. The Devils had scored four unanswered goals in just over four minutes, and the Avalanche faithful were holding their breath.

The momentum shift was palpable. The Devils, who had looked completely outmatched in the first period, were now dictating play. Their speed was creating problems for Colorado’s defense, and the same issues that had plagued the Avalanche during their recent struggles were resurfacing. But championship-caliber teams find ways to respond in moments of adversity, and Nathan MacKinnon was about to remind everyone why he’s among the elite.

New Jersey Devils Colorado Avalanche game recap 2025: MacKinnon and Olofsson seal victory

The Avalanche’s response was immediate and emphatic. Just 72 seconds after Hughes’ goal made it 5-4, MacKinnon restored the two-goal cushion with another power-play blast. His second tally of the night, another one-timer from the left circle, exemplified his ability to take over games when his team needs him most. With the goal, MacKinnon passed Milan Hejduk for fourth most goals in franchise history with 376, adding another milestone to his legendary career.

“It’s definitely not frustrating,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said about the game’s wild swings. “I think you gotta celebrate the wins, they’re hard to get in this league. We did a lot of really good things tonight. A lot of really good things.”

Colorado’s power play had been clinical all evening, and they finished 4-for-6 with the man advantage—their first four-power-play-goal game since December 21, 2023. The special teams excellence proved to be the difference maker in a game where both teams traded chances at even strength.

Victor Olofsson added his name to the power-play parade at 3:10 of the third period, firing another wrist shot from the right circle to make it 7-4. At that point, Olofsson had four points on the night, already establishing a new personal best. But he wasn’t finished. With 2:22 remaining in regulation, Olofsson completed his first career NHL hat trick with a wrist shot from just above the left circle.

The hat trick was a moment of pure relief and jubilation for Olofsson, who had struggled to find his offensive touch early in his Colorado tenure. His five-point performance was the catalyst the Avalanche needed to rediscover their confidence. Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves to earn the victory, while Jacob Markstrom stopped 33 shots in his first game back from a lower-body injury that had sidelined him since October 13.

The final score of 8-4 told only part of the story. The game featured everything hockey fans love—early dominance, a furious comeback, clutch responses, milestone goals, and individual brilliance. For Colorado, the victory improved their record to 6-1-4 and provided crucial momentum heading into a road trip against Vegas. For New Jersey, the loss dropped them to 8-2-0, ending their winning streak but hardly dampening what had been an excellent start to their season. Both teams demonstrated why they’re considered contenders, and the entertaining affair at Ball Arena will be remembered as one of the season’s wildest games. The Avalanche’s offensive firepower had returned at the perfect moment, and with players like MacKinnon, Makar, and now Olofsson finding their rhythm, the rest of the NHL should take notice.