Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes
NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan 03, 2026. Final score: Colorado Avalanche 5, Carolina Hurricanes 3.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Jan 03, 2026 |
| Venue | Lenovo Center |
| Colorado Avalanche score | 5 |
| Carolina Hurricanes score | 3 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Nathan MacKinnon | C | 1 | 3 | 2 | 20:04 | 0.59 | 2.67 |
| 2nd | Brock Nelson | C | 2 | 0 | 7 | 22:28 | 1.89 | 1.55 |
| 3rd | Martin Necas | C | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22:44 | 0.09 | 1.48 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Colorado Avalanche–Carolina Hurricanes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 18:09 | CAR | Sebastian Aho | Eric Robinson | 4v5 | 0–1 |
| 2nd 01:47 | COL | Gabriel Landeskog | Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas | 5v5 | 1–1 |
| 2nd 04:47 | CAR | Nikolaj Ehlers | Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven | 5v4 | 1–2 |
| 2nd 07:50 | CAR | Andrei Svechnikov | Sebastian Aho, K'Andre Miller | 5v5 | 1–3 |
| 3rd 01:09 | COL | Brock Nelson | Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar | 4v5 | 2–3 |
| 3rd 01:42 | COL | Jack Drury | Ross Colton | 5v5 | 3–3 |
| 3rd 07:30 | COL | Brock Nelson | Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar | 4v5 | 4–3 |
| 3rd 19:42 | COL | Nathan MacKinnon | Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen | 6v5 | 5–3 |
Team Comparison
| Colorado Avalanche | Carolina Hurricanes | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 5 | 3 |
| Shots on goal | 34 | 28 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 5.56 | 3.58 |
| High-danger shots | 18 | 13 |
| Corsi % | 54.1% | 45.9% |
| Power play | 2/5 | 1/3 |
| Faceoff % | 62.9% | 37.1% |
| Hits | 19 | 18 |
| Blocks | 10 | 15 |
| Giveaways | 13 | 15 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 2 |
Colorado Avalanche Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon | C | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 20:04 | 0.59 | 2.67 |
| Brock Nelson | C | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 22:28 | 1.89 | 1.55 |
| Martin Necas | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 22:44 | 0.09 | 1.48 |
| Cale Makar | D | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 24:35 | 0.11 | 1.28 |
| Jack Drury | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15:20 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| Gabriel Landeskog | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 18:52 | 0.40 | 0.85 |
| Artturi Lehkonen | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16:32 | 0.70 | 0.79 |
| Ross Colton | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 10:42 | 0.39 | 0.64 |
| Parker Kelly | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:27 | 0.00 | 0.25 |
| Taylor Makar | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5:18 | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| Victor Olofsson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11:26 | 0.33 | 0.05 |
| Sam Malinski | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:45 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Samuel Girard | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:25 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Valeri Nichushkin | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21:01 | 0.53 | 0.00 |
| Brent Burns | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18:21 | 0.03 | -0.05 |
| Josh Manson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18:25 | 0.31 | -0.10 |
| Devon Toews | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:49 | 0.06 | -0.10 |
| Zakhar Bardakov | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6:54 | 0.00 | -0.15 |
Carolina Hurricanes Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Aho | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 22:11 | 1.15 | 1.44 |
| Logan Stankoven | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12:49 | 0.12 | 0.79 |
| Taylor Hall | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14:51 | 0.07 | 0.69 |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17:42 | 1.02 | 0.65 |
| Andrei Svechnikov | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 17:28 | 0.84 | 0.65 |
| Eric Robinson | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11:03 | 0.00 | 0.64 |
| K'Andre Miller | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21:46 | 0.07 | 0.59 |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22:44 | 0.04 | 0.10 |
| Sean Walker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23:24 | 0.15 | 0.10 |
| Jordan Staal | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:00 | 0.04 | 0.10 |
| Jordan Martinook | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 17:17 | 0.28 | 0.10 |
| Alexander Nikishin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:30 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
| Jesperi Kotkaniemi | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:15 | 0.10 | 0.05 |
| Mark Jankowski | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:33 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| Jalen Chatfield | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20:08 | 0.04 | 0.00 |
| Joel Nystrom | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:56 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Jackson Blake | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:47 | 0.18 | -0.15 |
| William Carrier | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8:21 | 0.15 | -0.15 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Wedgewood | Colorado Avalanche | 25 | 28 | 89.3% | 1.08 | W |
| Frederik Andersen | Carolina Hurricanes | 30 | 34 | 88.2% | 0.21 | L |
Analysis
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5–3 on Jan 03, 2026.
Carolina Hurricanes generated 3.58 expected goals to Colorado Avalanche's 5.56 — the run of play matched the result, with Colorado Avalanche earning the better chances as well as the goals.
Nathan MacKinnon led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.67 on 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 shots on goal.
Scott Wedgewood stopped 25 of 28, worth 1.08 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Colorado Avalanche vs Carolina Hurricanes game?
The Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5–3 on Jan 03, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Colorado Avalanche 5, Carolina Hurricanes 3.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Nathan MacKinnon led all skaters at 2.67, on 1G, 3A and 2 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Carolina Hurricanes generated 3.58 expected goals and Colorado Avalanche generated 5.56, so Colorado Avalanche created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Colorado Avalanche put 34 shots on goal and Carolina Hurricanes put 28. High-danger chances went 18 to 13.
How did the goaltenders play?
Scott Wedgewood stopped 25 of 28 (1.08 goals saved above expected); Frederik Andersen stopped 30 of 34 (0.21 goals saved above expected).