Avalanche score 5 goals in second period and end Hurricanes' 8-game win streak, 6-4

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists, Mikko Rantanen had two goals and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche beat Carolina 6-4 on Saturday night, snapping the Hurricanes' eight-game win streak.

Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski also scored for Colorado, and Alexandar Georgiev had 27 saves.

Jordan Martinook, had two goals and an assist for Carolina, and Jack Drury and Martin Necas also scored. Seth Jarvis had two assists and Spencer Martin finished with 23 saves for the Hurricanes, who had not lost since Oct. 19.

The Hurricanes led 3-2 after Necas scored with 7:34 left in the the second before MacKinnon and Lehkonen scored 53 seconds apart. Carolina unsuccessfully challenged Lehkonen’s tally for goaltender interference, putting Colorado on the power play.

Jalen Chatfield’s high-sticking minor gave the Avalanche a 5-on-3 and Rantanen scored a power-play goal with 1:11 left to give Colorado three goals in three minutes.

Martin was pulled for an extra skater in the final two minutes and Rantanen scored into the empty net with 50 seconds remaining to seal it.

Hurricanes: No player on the roster has more than nine goals this season yet Carolina had won 10 of their previous 11.

Avalanche: Despite allowing four goals, Georgiev was solid in net for the second straight game and likely earned another start on Monday.

Trailing 2-0 and on the penalty kill, Makar jumped the passing lane in his own zone to steal Shayne Gostisbehere’s pass. He skated in on Martin and beat him with a slapshot to the far post to snap a goal drought of 89 minutes, 17 seconds. It started Colorado's five-goal second period.

Carolina had not allowed more than four goals in a game this season and gave up five in a half of a period.

Hurricanes visit Vegas on Monday, and Avalanche host Nashville.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal, left, drives past Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon to put a shot on goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The puck bounces off Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho, center, and over Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, right, in the first period of an NHL hockey game as Aho fights for position in front of the net with Colorado defenseman Josh Manson Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, left, passes the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews pursues in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho, left, redirects the puck at Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Winnipeg Jets' Cole Perfetti (91) keeps his eye on the puck after it hits Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar (8) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, left, struggles to control the puck as Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal, front, pursues the puck with Colorado Avalanche defenseman John Ludvig in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, right, stops a shot of the sdtick of Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov, left, congratulates center Jack Drury after his goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic, left, gets tangled up with Colorado Avalanche left wing Joel Kiviranta as they pursue the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, collects the puck as Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jackson Blake defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson exited the team bus then beamed as he strolled back into Chase Center on Tuesday night, greeted by some 400 cheering Warriors employees who lined up along his path to the Dallas locker room to show their love and appreciation for the former Golden State star.

They sported “Captain Klay” hats, the giveaway for all fans on a celebratory night remembering Thompson's 13 years with the franchise, two of those spent injured, and four championships he helped win here.

Those white hats filled Chase Center, where video highlights of Thompson showed in a place where he's still beloved — and always will be. Stephen Curry jogged up to Thompson, now wearing No. 31 with teammate Kyrie Irving in No. 11, and offered a quick embrace before Andrew Wiggins also hugged his old teammate.

Earlier, after a brief jump-rope routine outside the Mavericks' locker room, Thompson ran out the tunnel and onto the floor to thunderous applause from Warriors fans with phones up to capture the moment of Thompson's return.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Curry had considered addressing the crowd before tipoff but spoke with Thompson and they decided to each focus on the game, though Kerr knew it would be something when they had to defend each other.

Who would the Warriors put on Thompson?

“I'm not telling you,” Kerr cracked.

Curry fouled his former Splash Brother 15 seconds into the game and Thompson scored the initial two points of the contest on free throws. Thompson missed his initial two field-goal attempts before knocking down a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining in the opening quarter.

“I imagine that he'll be the exact same guy that I watched for 10 years, so he's always aggressive,” Kerr said. “I'm sure he's coming out firing and none of us would have it any way different than that.”

The Warriors invited all their employees to be part of the welcoming committee for Thompson, who joined Dallas in July on a three-year, $50 million contract. Thompson, 34, missed more than 2 1/2 years — the entire 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons — recovering from surgeries on his left knee and right Achilles tendon before making his comeback in January 2022.

“I think what he overcame is almost unprecedented,” Kerr said. “... The last couple of years after he came back he struggled reconciling all of that, losing those prime seasons. We all saw that, saw him struggle with it emotionally. We saw him fight to get his game back. He helped us win a championship, led the league in 3s two years ago, he did a lot of amazing things.

"We wished that this had gone forever, that Klay would have finished his career with us but circumstances always dictate these things. In the end I think he made the right choice. I think he needed a fresh start, I think he needed kind of a new set of surroundings and that was apparent last year. He was not happy and that was hard to see, because he deserves to be happy. At his core he's a very happy person.”

Thompson has tried to downplay the magnitude of being back in the Bay Area, though it certainly was emotional for everybody involved.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and basketball is basketball,” he said.

But when the home crowd went crazy and tipped those captain hats when he was introduced, Thompson became visibly emotional and clearly touched by the tribute. He waved and saluted in several directions.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd called the Mavericks “lucky to get him," and imagined how hard this might be for Thompson with so many emotions.

“He’s a true pro. Comes to work, understands what it means to win,” Kidd said. "We can talk about his ability to shoot the ball, space and his gravity. We can run him around, he’s going to create space for others. So when you talk about the big picture that’s hard to find, and we didn’t have that, and it was much-needed.”

Golden State held a “Salute Captain Klay” ceremony before tipoff to pay tribute to Thompson’s contributions to the franchise and his tradition of boating across the bay to games. He will be back again in February in the Mavs' second trip to Chase Center.

“This is all staff. It's unbelievable,” Warriors President and COO Brandon Schneider said. “What Klay has meant to our organization and to all of us the last 13 years, the team accomplishments, individual accomplishments, who he is as a person, what he's done in the community, it is a special night.”

For Kerr, this moment felt far different from Thompson's triumphant return nearly three years ago from the injuries and daunting grind of rehab that the veteran guard considered some of the most difficult days of his life.

“That was a welcome back, we knew there were a lot of good times ahead. In fact there was a championship six months later,” Kerr said. “This one is obviously more of a goodbye, the first time we will have seen him. ... It'll feel very strange but it will be a different vibe, more of a thank you and a goodbye and everything that you've meant to us."

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, right, is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, left, loses the ball while driving to the basket against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson waves toward fans before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Fans cheer as Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson jogs onto the court to warm up before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson warms up before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, hugs Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, middle, as guard Kyrie Irving, right, walks on the court before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson reacts toward fans before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against Utah Jazz forward's Darius Bazley (21) and Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guards Klay Thompson, left, and Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green, right, laugh while being interviewed, Nov. 30, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, foreground left, is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)