Wrapping up a season-long 7-game road trip, the Sharks staggered into Colorado on the heels of two big wins, but also faced with the reality that several key pieces of their lineup were either shipped out or are on the verge of departing with the NHL trade deadline looming. Add those distractions to a game against a team that is clicking on all cylinders and the recipe was not in San Jose's favor. Colorado used 4 special teams goals to pummel the mentally wounded Sharks 7-3 on Thursday night.

For as physical professional sport are, the mental wear and tear of a long season, especially for the young players like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. They are playing an 82 games schedule for the first time in their lives. Throw in the fact that 7 players who started the season the roster are no longer with the team and you have what amounts to emotional haymakers for both rookie and veteran.

Colorado didn't toy with their prey in this one. Colorado scored early and often. They scored a short-handed goal 4 minutes into the contest after Martin Necas was sent off for hooking. Joel Kiviranta potted that off a 2-on-1 break with Cale Makar.

The Avalanche power play they went haywire. A Fabian Zetterlund goal was bookended by a pair of power play goals by the Avalanche to end the 1st period with a 3-1 Colorado advantage.

Makar potted a goal on the man-advantage at 6:43.

Zetterlund converted his 17 goal of the season at the 10 minute mark on a nice tap in from the right post. Collin Graf setup the goal with a diagonal pass from the left circle.

Jonathan Drouin converted the Avalanche's 2nd power play goal with 2.4 seconds remaining in the period after he teamed up with Necas and Arturri Lehkonen to put on a passing clinic ending with a pass through the crease for a hockey dunk.

Mario Ferraro opened the middle period by cross checking Ross Colton 37 seconds in. Necas pumped a slap shot from the high slot past former Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev 2 seconds into the man advantage.

Nathan MacKinnon scored midway through the period to make it a 5-1 game. The Colorado assistant captain setup on the left post and gathered a big rebound off the end boards before sliding it home for his 24th goal of the season.

Rookie defenseman Keaton Middleton appeared to score his 1st career NHL goal with .4 seconds left in the period, but referee Tom Chmielewski waved the scored off for goaltender interference.

MacKinnon added a second goal at 5:21 of the 3rd period after the Sharks defenders left him unattended out in front.

Macklin Celebrini kept pace with his fellow Calder candidates by scoring his 20th goal of the season at 8:10 on a Sharks power play.

Makar scored his 2nd of the night 50 seconds later to make it a 7-2 game.

Game Notes:

* Nico Sturm was traded to the Florida Panthers earlier in the day along with a 2027 7th round draft pick in exchange for a 2026 4th round pick.

* Luke Kunin and Jake Walman were held out of the lineup for potential trades. Walman is rumored to be heading to Edmonton.

* Cale Makar had a 6 points in the game to tie a career high for points in a game with his 2 goals and 4 assists. Nathan MacKinnon had 5 points in the game on 2 goals and 3 assists.

* Former San Jose Barracuda defenseman Keaton Middleton just missed scoring his first NHL goal. Middleton played two years with the Barracuda after signing as a free agent in 2019. He is the brother of former Shark Jacob Middleton.

* The Sharks wrapped up the season-long 7-game road trip with a 2-3-2 record.