DENVER — For nearly 39 minutes Friday night, the Avalanche looked like a team still searching for answers.
Then T.J. Hughes took over.
The rookie scored twice in the final 1:32 of the second period to erase a 2-1 deficit, then completed his hat trick late in the third as Colorado pulled away for a 5-2 preseason victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena.
Hughes finished the night with four points, while Jaden Schwartz added a goal and two assists and Nazem Kadri chipped in two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 of 26 shots in his latest preseason appearance.
First Period
Just 4:24 into the opening period, Nazem Kadri was sent to the penalty box for hooking, giving Winnipeg the first power play of the evening.
The Jets wasted little time capitalizing.
At 6:15, Nino Niederreiter buried a rebound past Mackenzie Blackwood after the Avalanche goaltender kicked out a shot from defenseman Neal Pionk, giving Winnipeg a 1-0 lead.
The Jets nearly doubled that advantage with just under 12 minutes remaining in the period. Blackwood left a juicy rebound in front of the net with Gabriel Vilardi closing in, but Vilardi couldn’t finish the chance.
Colorado got its first opportunity on the man advantage near the midway point of the period when Niederreiter took Noah Juulsen down along the blue line and was assessed a two-minute interference penalty.
It wasn’t much of a power play for the Avalanche, though.
Head coach Jared Bednar said in recent days that last season’s power-play unit was too slow for his liking, and Colorado’s first opportunity Friday had a similar feel. The Avalanche managed just one shot on net during the two-minute advantage.
With just under four minutes left in the period, Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg unloaded a big slap shot from the point, but Blackwood — who has been excellent with his glove throughout training camp — was there to make the save.
Colorado’s penalty trouble continued late in the frame when Gavin Brindley was called for interference after officials determined he had run into Isak Rosen, sending the Winnipeg forward crashing into the boards.
Replay, however, appeared to show Rosen lose an edge before going down.
The Jets’ power play lasted only a few seconds before Niederreiter was sent to the box for roughing, wiping out Winnipeg’s man advantage.
After 20 minutes, the Jets carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, while holding a 9-7 edge in shots.
Second Period
Colorado began the second period shorthanded after Brock Nelson was whistled for hooking at 1:48.
The Avalanche finally broke through at 6:09. Jaden Schwartz got a stick on a shot from T.J. Hughes, redirecting it past Jets goaltender Stuart Skinner to tie the game at 1-1. Fedor Svechkov also picked up an assist on the play.
The tie didn’t last long.
Just over a minute later, Winnipeg regained the lead after Nathan MacKinnon attempted a dangerous clear that was intercepted by the Jets. Vladislav Namestnikov quickly turned the turnover into offense, firing a shot past Blackwood to make it 2-1.
The Avalanche continued to battle some of the same issues that surfaced in the opening period.
Colorado was later called for too many men on the ice, giving Winnipeg another opportunity to extend its lead. The Jets couldn’t capitalize, but the Avalanche continued to have problems in their own zone, including defensive breakdowns, trying to make one pass too many instead of putting pucks toward the net and failing to provide Blackwood with enough support around the crease.
Then, with the second period winding down, everything changed.
Hughes scored twice in the final 1:32 to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead.
His first came with 1:32 remaining when Hughes took a pass from Kadri in the low slot and snapped a wrist shot through Skinner, with the puck sneaking underneath the Jets goaltender’s pads to tie the game at 2-2.
Hughes wasn’t finished.
With only 11 seconds left on the clock, the rookie struck again. After receiving a pass from Brett Kulak, Hughes drove the puck down the left wing before cutting his shot toward the net and banking a backhand off Skinner’s stick and into the cage.
Just like that, Colorado went from trailing 2-1 to leading 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
Third Period
The Avalanche had done the hard part by stealing the lead late in the second. In the third, they had to protect it.
For much of the period, Colorado kept Winnipeg from generating the kind of sustained pressure it needed to get back into the game, while Blackwood handled the chances that did get through.
The biggest came with about 6:20 remaining.
Namestnikov broke in alone with a chance to tie the game, but Blackwood stayed with the play and made a huge save on the breakaway. The stop preserved Colorado’s one-goal cushion and gave the Avalanche the breathing room they needed.
Then Cale Makar provided the insurance.
With 4:25 remaining, Makar took a pass from Nathan MacKinnon in the slot and snapped a shot underneath Skinner’s glove to make it 4-2.
It was Makar’s first goal of the preseason and a reminder of the impact Colorado’s top defenseman can have when he is fully involved in the offensive game.
Winnipeg had one more problem to deal with.
Hughes.
With 22 seconds remaining, the rookie completed his hat trick to cap a four-point night and put the finishing touch on Colorado’s comeback.
What began as a frustrating night for the Avalanche turned into one of their most entertaining preseason performances yet, with Hughes’ three goals providing the spark and Blackwood making the key saves when Colorado needed them.
Skinner finished with 28 saves on 32 shots, while Niederreiter and Namestnikov each finished with a goal and an assist for Winnipeg.
Next Game
The Avalanche will wrap up their preseason schedule Saturday afternoon against the Utah Mammoth on the road.
Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. as Colorado gets one final tune-up before turning its attention toward the regular season.
