The shorthanded Colorado Avalanche needed a spark. The once and maybe future MVP obliged. Nathan MacKinnon reached 1,100 career points with two goals and an assist and provided the officials with a little salty guidance shortly after a potential fourth point was taken away in the Avs’ 5-2 victory against the Washington Capitals on Monday afternoon at Ball Arena. “He was great tonight,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He was fantastic. … When you’re missing players, you need your top guys to be really good. The margin for error is smaller and gets incrementally harder to win. You need those guys to have big nights on a lot of nights. “They had one tonight, and we needed it to get back on track.” Colorado entered this game in a 2-3-1 mini-funk, which included the club’s worst game of the season, a 7-3 loss Friday night in Denver to the Nashville Predators. The Avs were already without Devon Toews for the seventh consecutive game and captain Gabe Landeskog for the sixth, but Valeri Nichushkin joined them on the infirmary report after being involved in a car accident on his way to the game. Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin misses game after pregame car accident Colorado's top line was dangerous throughout, but took over this contest in the third period. At one point, the trio scored three goals in a span of four shifts, although one was taken away. MacKinnon set up Cale Makar for a beautiful give-and-go goal, which looked like a key insurance goal and a 4-2 lead in the third period. Washington called a timeout, then challenged for interference. The goal was wiped off the board, much to the chagrin of the Avs players and fans inside the arena. "(Bednar) and (Dave Hakstol) thought there was no way it was getting called back, but like (Bednar) says they're never right, like the coaches are never right," MacKinnon said. "They have no idea what counts. Nobody does." The Avs' top line made sure it didn't matter on its next shift. MacKinnon set up Artturi Lehkonen for a lay-up near the left post and then pointed emphatically at the net -- the official signal for a good goal -- with 7:28 remaining. Martin Necas created a turnover behind the Washington net two shifts later, and MacKinnon was there to score his league-leading 38th goal of the season to put this contest to bed. MacKinnon and Necas combined for a highlight-reel power-play goal to give Colorado a 2-1 lead at 7:03 of the second period. Ross Colton drew a four-minute high-sticking penalty, and the first half of it didn't go very well for the home side. But, given a second shift with the extra man, the Avs' top guns struck. MacKinnon started the rush in the defensive zone. Necas left a drop pass for him in the neutral zone, and MacKinnon collected the pass at full speed and deked by Washington's Aliaksei Protas in one smooth motion before using a defenseman as a screen for a wrist shot from the right circle. MacKinnon began the day six goals in front of Edmonton's Connor McDavid for the league lead. He was three points behind McDavid at the start of the day, but pulled even at 85 with this performance. Victor Olofsson briefly gave the Avs a two-goal advantage late in the second. Playing on a makeshift second line with Nichushkin and Landeskog out of the lineup, Olofsson snapped home the rebound of a shot from Josh Manson after Brock Nelson won a faceoff in the Washington zone. Olofsson's ninth goal of the season -- all on home ice -- came at 15:58 of the second. "I think (Olofsson) is playing some really good hockey recently," Bednar said. "(Ross Colton) seems to be re-energized playing up with (Nelson). That was a good line. I liked our whole team tonight." Seventeen seconds later, the Capitals clawed back to within one. Alex Ovechkin collected the puck behind the Colorado net and fed Ethen Frank cutting to the net for a backhanded goal. It is possible that this was the last game at Ball Arena for Ovechkin, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer. The 40-year-old Ovechkin has 917 career goals, including 12 in 28 career games against the Avalanche. Related Articles Avalanche coach Jared Bednar’s message to his team: ‘We have to dig in’ Lightning coach Jon Cooper knows what Avalanche needs — a little adversity | Journal Jared Bednar not happy after Avalanche’s 7-3 loss: “I hated that game from start to finish” For Avalanche rookie Gavin Brindley, production slump hasn’t meant a dip in performance Avalanche players still keep an eye on former teams: ‘You pay attention to your buddies’ Parker Kelly put the Avalanche in front at 5:54 of the opening period. Makar danced to his left along the offensive blue line, turned and went back to his right before sending a low shot towards the net that Kelly deflected in the slot for his ninth goal of the season. That's a new career high for Kelly, who scored eight goals each of the past two seasons. Colorado took three penalties in the first period, though the one in the middle was suspect ... and the one Washington capitalized on. Anthony Beauvillier knocked Scott Wedgewood's stick out of his hand as he skated by the Avs net. When Beauvillier went behind the net, he tripped over the goalie's stick lying on the ice. Wedgewood was called for tripping. Thirty seconds later, Caps defenseman Jakob Chychrun's shot from the top of the offensive zone found an opening to even the score at 7:27 of the opening period. "I'm just a dirty player," Wedgewood quipped. "No, (the official's) thing was my stick was caught in him and caused him to fall. ... I thought Sammy (Girard) had the penalty until he pointed at me. I was just like, 'Alright.'" Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis. ...read more read less