The Dallas Stars came to Pepsi Center Wednesday night on their second game of a back-to-back set, but, once again, the Avalanche protected home-ice and won by the score of 3-0. With the win, Colorado improves to 7-1-1 at home.

After being named one of the NHL’s three stars of the week, Nathan MacKinnon kept his hot streak alive with a three-assist night, scoring his 16th, 17th and 18th assist of the year. MacKinnnon has scored 20 points in Colorado’s last ten games and has a total of 25 points on the season.

Both teams entered the night with a peculiar goaltending situation as Jonathan Bernier got the start for the Avalanche due to Semyon Varlamov missing the game due to illness. Ben Bishop got the rare back-to-back nod for the Stars as backup goaltender Kari Lehtonen has been away from the team because of family matters.

Bishop and Bernier had a strong start to the game, saving 12 and 9 shots in the first period, respectively, and both teams would head to the dressing room with a 0-0 tie. Bishop, in particular, kept his team alive in the first, making big saves on dangerous chances after the Avalanche pressed hard early.

Erik Johnson was first to get his team on the scoreboard when he jumped in on the rush down the right side and turned the play into a 3-on-3. After Nathan MacKinnon entered the zone, he gave the puck to Johnson who gently shot it through Ben Bishop’s legs. Johnson had zero goals in the first 18 games and has now scored two in each of Colorado’s last two contests.

Goaltending continued to be the story after the second period when Bernier saved all 16 shots he had faced and Bishop continued to make spectacular saves to keep the Colorado lead from getting bigger until the very end of the period. With 1.9 seconds remaining, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Nail Yakupov who unleashed a one-timer from the point, barely beating the second-period buzzer. The shot count was 16-26 and the Avalanche would head into the third period with a 2-0 lead.

In the early moments of the third period, Colorado’s top line continued to produce at a high level when Avs captain Gabe Landeskog scored one from the slot after a hard forecheck from Nathan MacKinnon and a great behind-the-net feed from Mikko Rantanen. With the play, MacKinnon continues his impressive play as of late with his third assist of the night.

Landeskog’s goal would be the final scoring play of the night and Jonathan Bernier would record his first shutout of the season. After 20 games into the season the Avs have a winning record at 11-8-1 and, unlike years past, the Avalanche go into Thanksgiving with a home record to be thankful for.

Colorado’s next game is Friday against the Minnesota Wild — the first of a back-to-back set.