DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon was one of six Colorado players to score and the Avalanche cruised to a 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.
Sam Malinski, Brock Nelson, Gavin Brindley, Artturi Lehkonen and captain Gabriel Landeskog also had goals. The Avalanche saw 13 different players record at least a point.
Colorado (22-2-7) now has a league-leading 51 points this season and became the sixth team over the last 20 years to reach the 50-point mark in 31 games or fewer.
Before the game, the Avalanche honored the 1995-96 Stanley Cup team, which captured the Mile High City's first major professional sports championship. The Avalanche moved to town from Quebec before that season and swept Florida in the final.
Noah Gregor and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers. Daniil Tarasov was kept busy by the high-flying Avalanche offense and finished with 36 saves, including a stop of MacKinnon on a penalty shot.
The Panthers looked sluggish — Malinski scored 1:14 into the game — after playing in Utah the night before and beating the Mammoth 4-3. This contest started a tough stretch for the Panthers with 10 straight games against teams that were in the playoffs last season.
MacKinnon’s second-period score was his 392nd career goal and moved him by Joe Sakic (391) for the most in Avalanche history. Sakic has a franchise-most 625 goals over his career for the Nordiques and Avalanche.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves for Colorado.
Brindley scored and had an assist in his first game since Nov. 20. Brindley, who's been out with an injury, had his goal set up by the 40-year-old Brent Burns. Brindley wasn't born when Burns was drafted in 2003.
Panthers: At Dallas on Saturday.
Avalanche: Host Nashville on Saturday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Members of the 1996 Stanley Cup Championship team from the Colorado Avalanche are honored to mark the 30th anniversary of winning the Cup before an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, is congratulated after coring a goal by Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas, front left, center Nathan MacKinnon and left wing Artturi Lehkonen, back left, in the first period of an NHL hockey game againstt he Florida Panthers Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, congratulates center Nathan MacKinnon after his goal agains the Florida Panthers in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Maybe Kirk Cousins should've been starting the entire season.
Cousins threw three touchdown passes to Kyle Pitts Sr., and Zane Gonzalez kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to complete the Atlanta Falcons' rally for a 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.
Facing a third-and-28 on the Falcons' final drive, Cousins completed passes of 14 yards to Pitts and 20 yards on fourth-and-14 to David Sills V to set up Gonzalez.
The Falcons (5-9) overcame a franchise-record 19 penalties and a 28-14 fourth-quarter deficit to damage Tampa Bay's playoff hopes.
Cousins, who lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. last year after signing a free-agent deal that included $100 million guaranteed, has owned the Buccaneers since joining the Falcons last season. He's 3-0 against them with 1,158 yards passing, 11 TDs and one pick. He finished this one 30 of 44 for 373 yards.
“Pro Football tests you,” Cousins said. “It keeps me on my knees (in prayer). It’s been a difficult two years since tearing my Achilles. All I know to do is trust and keep going and walk by faith, not by sight, and that can be hard sometimes. Nights like tonight, you get a boost.”
Baker Mayfield threw a crucial interception in the fourth quarter as the Buccaneers (7-7) lost for the fifth time in six games to fall a half-game behind Carolina in the NFC South. The four-time defending division champions face the Panthers (7-6) twice in the final three games.
“This one is gonna haunt me. It falls on my shoulders,” Mayfield said. “It's not the defense's fault. It's my fault.”
Wearing their Creamsicle jerseys on the 48th anniversary of the franchise’s first win — that one came after an 0-26 start — the Buccaneers were booed off the field.
“You don’t make excuses," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said in an expletive-laden reaction. "You got to (bleeping) care enough where the (bleep) hurts. It’s got to (bleeping) mean something to you. It’s more than a job. It’s your (bleeping) livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can’t sugarcoat that (bleep).”
After Pitts made a leaping, acrobatic grab for a 7-yard TD with 3:34 remaining to pull the Falcons within 28-26, Cousins was pressured and threw incomplete on the 2-point conversion try.
The Falcons forced the Buccaneers to punt and got the ball at their 30 with no timeouts and 1:49 to go.
Haason Reddick sacked Cousins, forcing a fumble that the Buccaneers grabbed coming out of the pile. But officials ruled it was recovered by both team simultaneously, and the Falcons kept the ball.
Pitts finished with 11 catches for 166 yards, becoming the first tight end with 150 yards receiving and three TDs since Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe did it in 1996.
Mayfield tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Devin Culp, the second-year pro’s first scoring reception in the NFL that made it 20-14.
On the ensuing drive, Sills dropped what should have been a 44-yard TD catch and the Falcons ended up punting.
Bijan Robinson fumbled on Atlanta’s next possession after taking a shot from Christian Izien and Jacob Parrish recovered at the Falcons 25.
Mayfield fired a 3-yard TD pass to Chris Godwin Jr. and the two connected for the 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 28-14.
But Robinson’s 6-yard TD run cut the deficit to 28-20 with under 10 minutes left. After the Falcons missed the 2-point try, Dee Alford picked Mayfield’s pass and Atlanta drove 67 yards for a score.
Mayfield had all of his wide receivers available for the first time this season after six-time Pro Bowl pick Mike Evans and second-year pro Jalen McMillan were activated from injured reserve. Evans broke his clavicle on Oct. 20. McMillan broke three vertebrae in his neck in the preseason.
Evans made an immediate impact, catching six passes for 132 yards and drawing several penalties.
“He's one of the ones that cares,” Bowles said.
Pitts was wide open for his first two TD catches. He caught a 17-yard pass from Cousins to give the Falcons a 14-10 lead under one minute left in the first half.
Cousins tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Pitts to tie it at 7, one play after an offside penalty on cornerback Zyon McCollum during a field goal gave Atlanta a first down.
Cousins beat the Buccaneers twice last year in his first season with Atlanta. He threw for 785 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. He had 509 yards passing against them in one of the wins.
Tampa Bay's Chase McLaughlin connected on field goals of 52 and 49 yards. He’s 10 for 10 from 50 yards or beyond.
Falcons: WR Drake London (knee) was inactive. ... CB Mike Hughes (ankle) left in the first quarter.
Buccaneers: McCollum (hip) left in the first half. ... LG Ben Bredeson (knee) was out after being placed on injured reserve. ... DB Tykee Smith (neck/shoulder), LB SirVocea Dennis (hip), TE Cade Otton (knee) and CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) were inactive.
Falcons: Visit Arizona next Sunday.
Buccaneers: Visit Carolina next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) passes against Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (50) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) misses the catch Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. (24) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) leaps over Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Christian Izien (29) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Christian Izien (29) hits Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) celebrates his touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
