Nathan MacKinnon has goal and 3 assists in Avalanche's 6-3 win over Lightning

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists, Nazem Kadri scored his first goal of the season and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3 on Friday night.

Devon Toews, Fedor Svechkov, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas also scored as Colorado rebounded from back-to-back road losses. Mackenzie Blackwood made 31 saves.

Jake Guentzel scored twice and Charle-Edouard D’Astous added another for the Lightning, who saw their three-game winning streak halted. Nikita Kucherov was held in check and remains a goal or assist away from becoming the franchise's career points leader. He has 1,137 points and is tied with Steven Stamkos.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 18 of 23 shots, including one off the mask on MacKinnon's liner.

Guentzel's goal with 42.7 seconds left in the second period made it 4-2. The Avalanche unsuccessfully challenged the play for a missed stoppage. The Lightning went on the power play but couldn't score. They struggled on the power play all evening.

MacKinnon’s goal with 15:42 remaining gave Colorado a 5-2 cushion. Necas sealed it with a late empty-net tally.

Logan O’Connor returned to the lineup after missing the start of the season with a lower-body injury. He recently lost his father, Myles, a former NHL defenseman, at age 59.

The game featured the league's currently longest-tenured coaches in Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar. Cooper took over the Lightning in March 2013 and has won two Stanley Cups. Bednar was hired by Colorado in August 2016 and captured one Cup — in 2022 over the Lightning.

Wyndham Clark, the 2026 U.S. Open champion, was in attendance and brought his trophy. Clark drank from the cup while receiving an ovation from the crowd.

Lightning: At Utah on Saturday night.

Avalanche: At Nashville on Sunday night.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Colorado Avalanche mascot Bernie the St. Bernard carries the team flag before an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, right, falls as he shoots for a goal as Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) and right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) defend in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov waits for a face-off in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews, back, shoots the puck past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) for a goal in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, left, and right wing T.J. Hughes, center, congratulate center Nazem Kadri (91) after his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trevor Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca with runners on second and third to wiggle out of a ninth-inning jam as the Milwaukee Brewers escaped with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

DeLuca's strikeout came after Tampa Bay's Liam Hicks had grounded into an apparent game-ending double play that was overturned after a video review. Replays determined that Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt's right foot was slightly off the bag when he reached to catch a high throw from second baseman Brice Turang.

“You have a big range of emotions," Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said. "It’s a big credit to Trev for locking back in right there and making some huge pitches after you have that emotional dump and then have to get back on it.”

Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run and four hits over five innings to earn the victory.

“Not perfect, but good enough to get a win,” he said.

Yelich hit an RBI triple to spark a two-run rally in the first that put the Brewers ahead for good and delighted a sellout crowd reveling in Milwaukee’s first World Series game since 1982. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras each had two hits, including an RBI single. Contreras also threw out two runners trying to steal.

This marks the first World Series featuring two teams seeking their first championship since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in six games. The only other major league clubs without a World Series title are the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.

The Game 1 winner has gone on to win the World Series 62.8% of the time.

Tampa Bay trailed 3-1 and hadn't put a runner on since the sixth inning until it mounted its comeback attempt in the ninth.

Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson hit consecutive one-out singles off Megill. A double steal involving pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson put the potential tying run in scoring position with Rays slugger Junior Caminero at the plate. Caminero walked on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt to load the bases.

Hicks hit a grounder to the right side, and Turang ranged well to his left to field the ball before throwing to Pratt to start what initially was ruled a game-ending double play.

Fireworks went off, players poured onto the field and Milwaukee fans roared — before the crowd hushed as it watched the play again on the videoboard.

A replay review determined Pratt’s right foot came off the bag as he caught Turang’s throw. Hicks was still out at first, but the Rays now had runners at second and third with the score 3-2.

“I thought Coop had him, and obviously I was wrong,” Misiorowski said.

Megill finally closed the deal as DeLuca struck out swinging.

“You just have to lock it back in," Yelich said. "It’s the World Series — you have to do what you have to do to make things happen.”

By sweeping the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, the Brewers had time to set up their rotation the way they wanted by handing the Game 1 start to Misiorowski, the hard-throwing NL Cy Young Award favorite.

Misiorowski opened the game by throwing the fastest pitch ever delivered in a World Series, a 103.5 mph ball to Yandy Díaz. The right-hander finished with a season-low three strikeouts.

“Look, he’s so talented. He’s such a special pitcher. I felt like for him to be out of the game at five innings, there’s a small win in that,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “The problem is when you knock him out of the game, you’ve got just an elite bullpen that can match up and come in the ballgame like they did and kept us quiet there.”

While Milwaukee started with its ace, Tampa Bay countered with Nick Martinez to give two-time All-Star pitchers Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta an extra day of rest. Martinez struck out five and allowed two runs over five innings, but a slow start proved costly.

Chourio lined a single to right field on Martinez’s first pitch, and Yelich drove him home with a one-out triple to center. DeLuca covered 85 feet to track down Yelich’s drive but just missed making a diving catch as the ball glanced off his glove.

“I thought Jonny covered a lot of ground right there to even make that play close,” Cash said. “I don’t think we did too many things wrong. They did some things right. Squared some balls up.”

Yelich was batting third in the lineup for the first time since Aug. 3. The three-time All-Star and 2018 NL MVP posted the lowest on-base percentage (.315) and OPS (.692) of his career, but he has stepped up his since being named the first team captain in franchise history the final week of the regular season.

He was the seventh player to triple in his first World Series plate appearance, and the first since Kansas City’s Lynn Jones in 1985, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Contreras knocked home Yelich with a line-drive single to left that was deflected by shortstop Taylor Walls with the infield playing in.

Tampa Bay got a run back in the fourth.

Aranda drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third when Caminero doubled on a one-out liner with a 112.7 mph exit velocity that sailed over center fielder Garrett Mitchell and off his outstretched glove. Aranda came home on Hicks' groundout to the right side.

Milwaukee extended the lead to 3-1 in the seventh. Pratt drew a leadoff walk from Steven Matz and scored from second when Chourio greeted Kevin Kelly with a two-out single.

That insurance run proved critical.

“The guys settled in right away and did a great job," Yelich said. "We still have a ways to go, but it’s nice to get that first one.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Steven Matz throws during the sixth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee, between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe celebrates after a play during the sixth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee, between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe motions as he walks to the dugout during the seventh inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee, between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras runs on a base hit during the eighth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee, between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski celebrates after the second inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee, between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)