Necas Sparks Avalanche's Playoff Surge

0:00It's April 23rd. This is NHL News today, AI-powered updates on your team. I'm Cory with the story. Martin Neck is a straight fire for the Colorado Avalanche right now in the Western conference first round. The 27-year-old forward dished a slick between the legs assist to Gabriel Landiscock for the game-time goal, late in the third period of game. 2. That helps seal a 2-to-1 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings, putting Colorado up two games to none in the series. Neck has exploded this regular season with a career high 100 points, 38 goals, and 60 to assist in just 78 games. He got traded from Carolina to the Avalanche last January 24th, 2025, along with Jack Jury, and he's carried that. Momentum, right into the playoffs, teammates can't stop hyping him up. Nathan McKinnon called his passes unreal, especially that overtime chance that almost went in clean. Coach Jury Bednar says, Neck is has matured on both ends, thriving as a puck-transporter

1:02in their uptempo, possession style alongside McKinnon on the top line. Even after a scary hit sent him to concussion protocol early in game 1, Neck is bounced back strong. Golly Scott Wedgewood praises his neutral zone skating and shot, saying the chemistry with McKinnon opens everything up. With Game 3 Thursday at 10pm Eastern in LA, the Avalanche looked locked in for a deep run, and Neck is his proving he's prontime material-leading, the charge.