Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon continues to bolster his MVP case.Late in the second period of Colorado's home game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, MacKinnon became the first player to reach 80 points this season when he netted his 20th goal on a power play.

Perhaps Sunday marked the start of the Avalanche getting their mojo back after a roller-coaster January underscored by a 7-6-2 record, and the blockbuster trade of Mikko Rantanen to Carolina. The Avs weathered a grinding opening period to pull away for a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Ball Arena.

Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon spoke candidly about his feelings following the blockbuster trade that sent his longtime teammate Mikko Rantanen away from the only franchise he'd ever played for. "It's unfortunate," MacKinnon said, per DNVR Avalanche. “Losing a great friend, great teammate. I’m gonna miss him.

However, their defensive play appeared somewhat unstable, as both of the Jets' regulation goals stemmed from lapses in coverage in front of the net. Despite the loss, Cale Makar expressed strong admiration for Nathan MacKinnon, who scored a goal during the game.

Nathan MacKinnon is in a tight race for the Hart Trophy (MVP), but the Colorado Avalanche center likely added another bullet point to his strong résumé on Wednesday night.