From MacKinnon to Malkin, big names already making impact

By PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon said it’s up to the NHL’s top players to “drive the bus” and deliver for their team. He took the Colorado Avalanche for quite a ride in Game 1, scoring twice, in a 7-2 win. Evgeni Malkin scame through in the third overtime for Pittsburgh against the New York Rangers. T.J. Oshie drove Washington past top-seeded Florida in Game 1. It’s a case of big-time players coming up big time. A team can’t have too many of them, either. In addition to MacKinnon, the Avalanche had Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen step up.