MacKinnon has 2 goals and a rare fight in the Avs' 8-4 victory over the Kings in opener

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored twice in a four-goal second period and capped his night with a rare fight, and the Colorado Avalanche opened the season with an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

Hours before the game, Colorado coach Jared Bednar was given a four-year contract extension. Bednar, who led Colorado to the 2022 Stanley Cup title, was in the final year of his current contract. The extension ended speculation on his future after being swept by Vegas in the Western Conference finals last spring.

“I didn’t want him to go through the whole year and have those distractions of being asked that same question, especially as the year goes on,” Avs president and general manager Joe Sakic said before Wednesday night’s game.

Artturi Lehkonen had two goals, Brock Nelson had a goal and two assist and Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for Colorado, which scored four times on the power play and allowed two short-handed goals.

MacKinnon, who had a career-high 53 goals last season, scored on a 5-on-3 just 23 seconds into the second period and gave the Avs a 4-2 lead with his second at 8:33.

The 2024 MVP, whose last fight was four years ago, dropped the gloves with Kings defenseman Brandt Clark with Colorado leading 6-4 late in the third. Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog scored less than a minute later and Lehkonen iced it with his second 1:03 later.

Trevor Moore, Joel Armia and Brian Dumoulin scored for Los Angeles, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots.

Nelson and Kelly scored in the first period to give the Avs a 2-1 lead, and Moore and Armia had goals in the second period for the Kings.

Artemi Panarin scored on a delayed penalty midway through the third.

Kings: At San Jose on Saturday night.

Avalanche: Host St. Louis on Saturday night

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

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, punches Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke as they fight in the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin, left, tries to pass the puck as Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, right, stops a shot fby Los Angeles Kings right wing Joel Armia in the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Kings right wing Mats Zuccarello, front right, swings at the puck as Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, back right, and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews cover in the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a power-play goal against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, jostles with Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke in the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian airline captain who was at the controls of a FlyDubai flight when a copilot stabbed him in an apparent attempt to crash the plane has been hailed as a hero, with his actions to thwart the disaster drawing praise from world leaders.

Capt. Smit Machchhar, who hails from India’s financial hub of Mumbai, was seriously injured as passengers rushed into the cockpit and restrained the attacker as the drama unfolded on Wednesday while the Boeing 737 descended sharply, according to witnesses and Israeli authorities.

The attack forced the flight carrying 174 people from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, to make an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, said late Wednesday. Embassy officials were in contact with his family and Saudi authorities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Machchhar a hero.

“In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy,” Modi wrote on X.

Little is publicly known about Machchhar, but according to his LinkedIn profile, he has worked for FlyDubai for about four years. Before joining the airline, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, an Indian low-cost carrier, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain.

He has logged more than 9,750 flying hours, according to the profile.

SpiceJet, in a post on X, praised Machchhar’s “heroic courage” and “selfless actions.”

“You are a hero to us all, Captain,” the airline wrote.

Israeli authorities scrambled fighter jets in case of a possible hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was undergoing interrogation there. His motive for the attack was not immediately clear.

Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s “extraordinary bravery” in a post on X, saying the wounded captain fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker, preventing what Netanyahu described as a “catastrophic midair disaster.”

“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote.

News media personnel film in the building where relatives of Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot for Flydubai, previously lived in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

News media personnel stand outside the building where relatives of Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot for Flydubai, previously lived in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)