Game Preview: COL @ STL | Colorado Avalanche

COLORADO AVALANCHE (43-20-5) VS ST. LOUIS BLUES (36-29-3)

6:00 PM MDT | ENTERPRISE CENTER | WATCH: ALTITUDE 2 | LISTEN: 950 AM

Colorado will conclude its season-series against St. Louis this Tuesday at Enterprise Center. The Avalanche and Blues both enter tonight with a winning streak. Colorado has won six straight, outscoring its opponents 27-10, while St. Louis has claimed victory in its last four, scoring 15 to its contender’s six during its streak.

Latest Results:

March 16, 2024 COL: 3 EDM: 2 (OT)

March 17, 2024 STL: 4 ANA: 2

OIL SPILL IN EDMONTON

Saturday night at Rogers Place, the Avalanche secured an overtime victory 3-2 against the Edmonton Oilers, their first of three regular-season matchups between the teams this campaign. This marked Colorado’s 22nd comeback win of the season, the highest recorded by any team in 2023-24. The Avs earned their 10th third-period comeback victory of the season. Colorado’s sixth straight wins are now the clubs longest active streak in the NHL this season, tying its previous best from Oct. 11 – 24.

AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Nathan MacKinnon has collected 116 points (42g/74a) in 68 games this season, leading the NHL in points. His 116 matches Peter Forsberg (1995-96) for the third-most tallied in a season in Avalanche history in a single campaign.

Tonight, the centerman looks to extend his point streak to 16 games, currently the longest active streak in the NHL. A point would make his current run the third-longest by an NHLer this season.

Mikko Rantanen’s 11-game point streak came to an end on Saturday. The assist streak marks the third-longest in NHL history and the second-longest the NHL has seen this season (McDavid, 13 from Feb. 13 – March 7).

Sean Walker recorded two goals against Edmonton, tallying the first multi-goal game of his career and his first goal as a member of the Avalanche.

HISTORY

The Avalanche/Nordiques own an all-time record of 75-69-11-7 against the Blues. On the road, the franchise has a 29-42-4-4 tally against them. This upcoming game marks the teams’ fourth and final meeting of the season, with Colorado having won two of the previous three encounters on Nov. 1, 2023, and Dec. 29, 2023. The Avalanche are 15-5-0 in the last 20 meetings with the Blues. A win tonight would mark the Avs’ fifth consecutive win against them at Enterprise Center.

SITTING DUCKS

On Sunday, St. Louis extended their winning streak to four games with a 4-2 victory against the Ahaheim Ducks at Enterprise Center. Troy Terry opened up the scoring in the first period and Kevin Hayes found the back of the net to tie it in the second. Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours scored three consecutive power-play goals in the third period. Troy Terry netted his second of the night, but the Ducks ultimately fell short to the Blues, 4-2.

STATS TO KNOW

MacKinnon has registered 31 points (9g/22a) in his last 20 games agaisnt the Blues.

Cale Makar has picked up 24 points (5g/19a) in 21 games versus St. Louis in his career.

In their first encounter with the Blues this season (Nov. 1, 2023), MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen all recorded a multi-point game.

In their latest encounter at the Enterprise Center on Dec. 29, 2023, Devon Toews clinched the game-winning goal in the third period and was named the First Star of the Game.

BLUES BENCHMARKS

Pavel Buchnevich recorded his team-leading seventh three-point game of 2023-24 against the Ducks. Only one St. Louis player has posted more three-point outings in a season over the past 20 years (Vladimir Tarasenko, 9x in 2021-22).

Thomas leads the Blues this season with 73 points (23g/50a) in 68 games. He holds a 21-point edge over Buchnevich, the team’s next closest point collector.

Jordan Binnington is tied for eighth in shutouts this season (3) among all NHL netminders.

Joel Hofer is tied for eighth among NHL goalies for save percentage, boasting a .915 clip (Min. 25 games played).

NUMBERS GAME 

0.5

Artturi Lehkonen joined Matt Duchene (March 10, 2013) as the only players in franchise history to score in the final second of an overtime period, lighting the lamp with 0.5 seconds left on the clock.

35

Alexandar Georgiev posted his 35th win against the Oilers, taking over the league-lead in that category this season. He joined Patrick Roy (3x) as the second Avalanche netminder to record multiple 35-plus win seasons in franchise history.

57

Makar has registered 57 assists this season and is one shy of tying his career-high set in 2021-22.

QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK

“We liked (the new players) right out of the gate, and every game I think they just get a little more accustomed to what we’re doing, where they fit. We’re starting to see their personalities come out. That’s what you want. That’s why the deadline is when it is, so you can get them integrated with your team and everyone feels like a family before you start the playoffs.”

– Colorado Head Coach Jared Bednar on New Players Getting Integrated and Accustomed to the Avs