from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

Put your hand up if you're willing to admit you buried the Avs earlier this season? I know I did, but here they are just four points behind the Nashville Predators for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference after a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks moved Colorado to 9-3-1 in December.

I mean, did anyone really see this coming? Nathan MacKinnon had the hat trick Monday night as the Avs went 4-for-6 on the power play, an area of improvement this season. The Avs are 10th in the league on the PP after placing a dismal 29th a year ago. Meanwhile, MacKinnon leads the team in scoring with 33 points, and is on pace for 73 on the season after slumping to just 38 points in 64 games last season as a second-year player. His 13 goals also have him on pace for 29 on the season which would eclipse his career high of 24, set two years ago as a rookie. What do you think, guys?

Can MacKinnon and the Avs stay in the race?

continue for more Avs talk from the ESPN crew...