With a chance to break the franchise record for goals to begin a season Saturday night, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon needed less time than it takes to tie his skate laces.
In a “Hockey Night in Canada” telecast against the Calgary Flames at the Pepsi Center, MacKinnon, a Canadian, won the opening faceoff and scored at 11 seconds. It was the second-quickest goal to begin a game in club history — Antti Laaksonen scored eight seconds into the first period on Feb. 10, 2006 — and was the beginning of what would become the best first period of the Avs’ young season.