Sherwood and Joshua help Canucks win 4-1 in Avalanche's last regular-season home game

DENVER (AP) — Kiefer Sherwood and Dakota Joshua had a goal and an assist, Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 shots and the Vancouver Canucks beat Colorado 4-1 on Thursday night as the Avalanche gave leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon the game off to rest and heal for the postseason.

Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Canucks, who’ve been eliminated from postseason contention. Nils Hoglander added an empty-net goal with 1:58 remaining.

Devon Toews had a goal and Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Avalanche in their final home game of the regular season. Colorado will enter the postseason as the Central Division’s No. 3 seed and open a first-round series on the road.

By sitting out, MacKinnon's streak of 209 straight games was halted. He might not play in the final two regular-season games, either. MacKinnon is tied with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league lead with 116 points.

Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog began a minor league conditioning assignment with the Colorado Eagles and could suit up with the Eagles this weekend.

Landeskog could be activated for Game 1 of Colorado’s playoff series if the conditioning assignment and additional practices go well. A knee injury and subsequent surgeries have sidelined Landeskog since he helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Canucks: Finished 3-0 against Colorado to sweep the season series for the first time since 2016-17.

Colorado: The short-handed Avalanche were without defensemen Ryan Lindgren (upper body) and Josh Manson (upper body), along with forwards Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Ross Colton (lower body).

Joshua knocked in a loose puck with 13:46 remaining to make it a 3-1 game.

Colorado’s defensemen have a combined 206 points this season.

Colorado wraps up the regular season with a back-to-back starting Saturday in Los Angeles. Vancouver hosts Minnesota on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, collects the puck as Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood, left, defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, right, makes a glove-save of a shot while screened by the Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, top, lands on Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor as they pursue the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood pulls on a glove before the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, checks Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty, right, as they pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood, front right, drives between Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, and left wing Jimmy Vesey (26) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in his seventh triple-double of the season, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points and Onyeka Okongwu had 22 for the Hawks, while both Zaccharie Risacher and Luke Kennard scored 12.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. OG Anunoby had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges added 18 points.

Ariel Hukporti, who replaced Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) in the starting lineup, grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for New York.

The Knicks got off to a quick start, taking an 11-2 lead. Trailing 30-29, the Hawks scored the final four points of the first quarter and never trailed again.

Atlanta extended its lead to 60-45 on Okongwu’s short jumper with 1:16 remaining in the second quarter before Brunson’s runner cut the Knicks’ deficit to 60-47 at halftime.

Alexander-Walker’s driving layup with 1:14 left in the third quarter gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the game at 94-68 and they were ahead 94-70 at the end of the quarter.

The Knicks scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and pulled within 94-81 before Kennard connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to end the streak.

New York mounted a final rally following consecutive 3-pointers by Bridges to edge within 108-99, but never got any closer.

The Hawks, who have won two in a row following a season-high, seven-game losing streak, became the first team to hold the Knicks to fewer than 100 points this season.

Atlanta's Trae Young (bruised right quadriceps) and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) each missed their third straight games.

Hawks: Visit Toronto on Saturday.

Knicks: Host Philadelphia on Saturday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu reacts after scoring a 3-point basket during first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) passes the ball around New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (55) during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, bottom, and Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) battle for the ball during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, right, is defended by New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)