After 'really unlucky play,' Nathan MacKinnon returns in Colorado Avalanche's convincing victory

DALLAS — Nathan MacKinnon had an assist in his return game and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars 4-0 on Sunday, padding their lead atop the NHL.

MacKinnon, 26, out since Jan. 26 with a concussion and a facial fracture, took his rightful place on Colorado's top line, playing 17:45 of game action on 24 shifts vs. Dallas. The win was Colorado's second straight and the Avalanche have not lost in regulation since Dec. 16. They ended Sunday with 72 points, three ahead of the rest of the league in the race for the postseason's No. 1 overall seed.

Gabriel Landeskog scored twice, giving the Colorado veteran 22 goals on the season, and Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Aube-Kubel also scored in the win. But in the postgame media availability, the talk centered around a certain former All-Star rejoining his teammates after a scary incident.

«I felt great. Better than I thought I would,» MacKinnon said. «Had some good legs. Thought our whole team played really well.»

In a battle of elite teams from opposing conferences, MacKinnon ran into Boston Bruins veteran forward Taylor Hall last month, a hit that pushed MacKinnon's stick back into his face. It was an ugly scene in Boston's 4-3 overtime victory, but the hit was not malicious, and more incidental than anything else. Hall was not disciplined by the league.

«Just a really unlucky play,» MacKinnon said Sunday.

MacKinnon had surgery on his nose not long after the incident and returned to practice Tuesday. Colorado coach Jared Bednar, after that practice session in Denver, told reporters that the team was targeting Sunday as MacKinnon's return date, so the process went as planned.

The Stars couldn't keep up with the Avalanche's depth and defensive prowess, especially late. The