WASHINGTON — Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Darcy Kuemper know better than anyone else living in the nation’s capital what Nathan MacKinnon can do with a puck. They were witnesses to his brilliance for one season, the longest season of his career at that. The season he went coast-to-coast for a playoff hat trick. The season he joined them in hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Aube-Kubel and Kuemper received their Avalanche championship rings after the game against their former team Saturday night. An hour or so earlier, as if to remind them of their season in Colorado, they were once again nothing more than witnesses to MacKinnon’s mastery.
The skilled center dangled Aube-Kubel out of his way then flicked an unstoppable wrister through traffic, past Kuemper and into the top corner of the netting at the far post. His second-period highlight goal helped the Avalanche to a 4-0 win against the Capitals.
