The Colorado Avalanche entered the Christmas break on Sunday with a victory. They defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-2 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. In the Avalanche win, Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta of Vantaa, Finland recorded his second career National Hockey League hat trick.
Inside look at the hat trick
Kiviranta’s hat trick was a natural hat trick and was the last three goals of the game. He scored the game-winning goal at 12:01 of the second period from Mikko Rantanen of Nousiainen, Finland and defenseman Cale Makar of Calgary, Alberta to break a 2-2 deadlock and put the Avalanche up 3-2. Kiviranta then scored twice in the third period into an empty net. He had an unassisted insurance marker with two minutes and 34 seconds left in the third period to put the Avalanche up 4-2, and then closed out the scoring with a goal with one minute and 32 seconds left in the third period to put the Avalanche up 5-2. Parker Kelly of Camrose, Alberta and Makar had the assists.
Kiviranta in 2024-25
In 36 games this season, Kiviranta has 10 goals and two assists for 12 points. He is a +7 with 12 penalty minutes, two game-winning goals, 46 shots on goal, 11 faceoff wins, 19 blocked shots, 54 hits, 11 takeaways, and 20 giveaways.
The two assists came in Avalanche wins. The first came on November 11 in a 3-2 Avalanche win over the Nashville Pedators. Kiviranta set up Rantanen at 11:37 of the second period and put the Avalanche up 2-1 at the time. The second assist came on December 8 in a 4-0 Avalanche win over the New Jersey Devils. Kiviranta set up Logan O’Connor at 14:52 of the first period to put the Avalanche up 2-0.
The other game-winning goal came on Thursday in a 4-2 Avalanche win over the San Jose Sharks. Kiviranta scored from O’Connor at 13:06 of the third period to break a 2-2 tie.
When was Kiviranta’s first NHL hat trick?
It took place on September 4, 2020 with the Dallas Stars. Ironically, it was against the Avalanche in a 5-4 Stars win in game seven of the Western Conference semifinals. Kiviranta’s hat trick goal was the overtime series clinching winner.
Sixth in the West
The Avalanche improved to a record of 21 wins and 15 losses for 42 points. They are sixth in the Western Conference and lead the Dallas Stars by four points for a playoff spot.
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