The Colorado Avalanche are within the midst of a storybook begin to the 2025-26 campaign, leading the NHL with a sparkling 12-1-5 record after a 6-3 doubling up of the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena on Thursday night. It was the fifth consecutive win for the Avs, who’re looking like a powerhouse within the early going.
And star forward Martin Necas was right within the thick of things — as he often is — scoring two goals and adding two assists for his first four-point game of the brand new season. The Czech native also made Avalanche franchise history in the method.
“Martin Necas became the primary player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to attain throughout the opening minute of a game 3 times in a single season,” confirmed NHL Public Relations on Thursday night.
Necas opened the scoring just 52 seconds into the competition, and it’s becoming clear No. 88 doesn’t like wasting time once the puck drops.
“I feel it’s nice when the opposite team has to chase and we just keep playing our game,” the 26-year-old said afterwards, per NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding. “I do not think we are able to let off the gas. Even should you don’t start well, you continue to give your best. [You’re] wasting energy, so might as well make it count, and every time you are up in the primary period, it is usually good.”
Necas would assist on Colorado’s next goal, giving the team a 2-0 lead. Buffalo ended up fighting back, even tying things up late within the second period. But Necas wasn’t done, scoring the dagger with under 4 minutes left in the ultimate frame.
That gave the Avs a 5-3 lead, which could be all that they needed on tonight. Necas assisted on Gabriel Landeskog’s empty net goal to seal the victory late in regulation.
Show goes on and on for Avalanche
After the cross-conference victory, the Avalanche remain with out a regulation loss since October 25. Jared Bednar’s team is looking nothing wanting formidable, scoring 74 goals already through just 18 games. That is “the fourth most in team history prior to the club’s twentieth game of a season behind 1995-96 (77), 2005-06 (76) and 2021-22 (76),” confirmed Boulding.
“I loved our start. We talked about it,” Bednar said. “They’re playing on a back to back. It is a young team. They’ve lost a handful in a row. You knew they were going to be hungry. We tried to push them out of the sport early. They didn’t go away. Give them credit. After which we made some mistakes.”
Although the Avalanche allowed the Sabres to get back into it, Necas was a giant reason why they were in a position to close it out. He’s a critical a part of considered one of the league’s best top lines alongside Artturi Lehkonen and league-leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon; the latter has amassed a ridiculous 33 points in only 18 games.
Next up for the Western Conference’s top team is a date with the visiting Recent York Islanders on Sunday night. After that, Colorado may have a three-day break before returning to the ice to host the Recent York Rangers next Thursday, November 20.
With a mostly healthy roster and more star power than perhaps some other club, the Avs will look to maintain on rolling as they fight to capture a primary President’s Trophy since 2020-21.