Avalanche 7, Flames 3: Makar's Night in the Building He Grew Up Near

October 8, 2026 - Calgary - Cale Makar grew up here. On Thursday he scored twice in the building, and the Colorado Avalanche left the Saddledome 7-3 winners over a Flames club that still does not have a point.

Colorado is 3-1-0 after a 3-2 loss at Winnipeg on Wednesday. The Calgary Flames are 0-4-0. The Associated Press recap called Calgary the only NHL team without a point and put the goal differential at minus-17 (23-6 against). Shots were 30-29 Colorado. Attendance was 16,903.

Makar had two goals and an assist. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists. Devon Toews and Jaden Schwartz each scored twice. Brett Kulak had two assists. Scott Wedgewood stopped 26 of 29 in his first start of the season and, the AP recap said, his 200th NHL game. Toews and Wedgewood are unlinked.

Adam Klapka, Mikael Backlund, and Kevin Bahl scored for Calgary. Devin Cooley stopped 23 of 30. Those Flames skaters are unlinked except Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich, who assisted on Bahl's goal.

The Avalanche announced before the game that Logan O'Connor is taking time away after the sudden passing of his father, Myles O'Connor. He had already missed Colorado's first three games with a lower-body injury, the NHL recap said. The name stays unlinked.

Toews twice, Klapka's toe-drag, then the middle period Colorado wanted

Toews opened it at 15:54 of the first, a redirect of Makar's hard pass at the net. 1-0. Toews told NHL.com he is trying to give Makar an option and let him pick.

Klapka tied it at 17:30. He toe-dragged around Josh Manson and went over Wedgewood's blocker. Jonathan Castagna got the assist in his NHL debut. Castagna, per NHL.com: he did not have to do much for it, and it felt good to get that off his back. 1-1 after one. Backlund, the Calgary captain, told NHL.com the first period had energy and chances. The rest of the night did not.

Toews scored again at 6:45 of the second, a point wrist through traffic over Cooley's right shoulder. Assists to Noah Juulsen and Parker Kelly. Juulsen is unlinked. 2-1. Toews: they try to put pucks on net and create traffic. Today they went in.

Makar from above the right dot at 9:16, MacKinnon and Kulak. 3-1. Colorado coach Jared Bednar told NHL.com Makar loves playing in Calgary, with family and friends in the building, and they will take that game from him whenever they can.

MacKinnon unloaded from the high slot at 11:39, slap shot over Cooley's blocker. Zachary L'Heureux the only assist. L'Heureux is unlinked. 4-1. Three Colorado goals in 4:54 of the second.

6-1, a two-goal Flames burst, Schwartz off a skate

Makar's second, a slap shot at 5:35 of the third, MacKinnon and Nazem Kadri. Kadri is unlinked. 5-1.

Schwartz snapped a bumper pass from T.J. Hughes at 6:34. Kulak the other helper. Hughes' first NHL point, the NHL recap said. 6-1. Hughes, on NHL.com: a great pass to him, Schwartz in the middle, great shot.

Backlund tipped Ryan Strome at 7:17. 6-2. Bahl from the slot, the puck deflecting in off Juulsen's stick at 8:28, Farabee and Sharangovich. 6-3.

Schwartz again at 9:41. A wrist shot bounced off Jake Middleton and past Cooley, the NHL recap said. Assists to Fedor Svechkov and Brent Burns. 7-3. Bednar called Schwartz a veteran who does a little of everything.

Flames coach Ryan Huska told NHL.com they will revisit things at practice: push harder in the areas that have to be better, and keep the good pieces on track. Calgary hosts Anaheim on Saturday. Colorado hosts Toronto that night.

The NHL notes said Colorado has a point in 12 straight against the Flames since Jan. 18, 2023 (11-0-1).

AthX Engine on a 7-3 in Calgary

AthX Engine (our projection and scoring system) scored Makar at 11.70. MacKinnon is 10.20. Wedgewood is 9.80. Toews is 9.30 (two goals, three shots, two PIM). Schwartz is 9.20. Backlund is 8.80 on eight shots. Kulak is 6.50. Hughes is 6.10.

Colorado's team line is 24.40. Calgary floors at 0.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for a defenseman who just scored twice in his hometown rink, and for a Flames club that is still looking for its first point. They are not the same number.

Track Makar, MacKinnon, Schwartz, and both clubs on the marketplace.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), ESPN box score, NHL.com recap, NHL.com scoreboard, ESPN NHL scoreboard. AthX Engine fantasy points scored from NHL gamecenter box 2026020064. Information only; not financial advice.*