Colorado Avalanche (18-14-0) @ Vancouver Canucks (15-9-5)
8:30 PM GMT | Rogers Arena | See: Height, Height+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
After a big win over Nashville at home, the Avalanche embark on a three-game road trip against Pacific Division teams starting in Vancouver. This is the first of three meetings between the two teams this season, as they will play in Vancouver again on February 4 and in Denver on April 10.
Bounce back on the ball
The Avalanche defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2 at Ball Arena on Saturday. Nathan MacKinnon scored three points and became the first NHL player to score 50 points this season. In addition, Artturi Lehkonen scored two goals and Mikko Rantanen added three assists. In his debut in maroon and blue, Mackenzie Blackwood made 37 saves. After a scoreless first frame, the Avs scored Ross Colton's 10th goal of the season at 11:32 of the second period. Late in the middle frame, MacKinnon doubled Colorado's lead with his 12th goal of the year at 18:52. By achieving his 947th career point, MacKinnon moved into third place on the Avalanche/Nordiques Series points leader, passing Michel Goulet. At 3:30 of the third, Lehkonen scored his ninth goal of the year after shooting the top right corner of the net from the left circle off a rush. The Predators did not go quietly, scoring goals from Steven Stamkos at 13:03 and Luke Evangelista at 15:08, cutting the deficit to one goal. After a dominant period of play, the Avs took a two-goal lead when MacKinnon scored his 13th tally of the year on an empty net at 18:08. Just 62 seconds later, Lehkonen tallied his 10th tally of the year, scoring an empty-net goal of his own at 19:10 to give the Avs a 5-2 lead.
A stream of points
Nate is great
MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (50) and assists (37).
Moose crossing
Rantanen is tied for third in the NHL in points (46), tied for fifth in goals (18) and tied for sixth in assists (28).
All hail
Makar leads NHL defensemen in points (37) and assists (28) while tied for second in goals (9). Among all skaters in the NHL, he ranks sixth in assists.
date
In their previous 130 regular season games, the Avalanche have gone 66-46-18 against the Canucks, including wins in the last four meetings. The two teams have played in the playoffs twice, with the Avs beating the Canucks in the Western Conference quarterfinals in 1996 and 2001, winning six and four games, respectively. In both seasons, the Avalanche would go on to win the Stanley Cup.
Beaten by the Bruins
The Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins 5-1 at Rogers Arena on Saturday. Boston scored twice in the first period thanks to Brad Marchand on the power play at 5:12 and Morgan Geikie at 8:08. In the second period, it was more of the same, as Pavel Zacha gave the Bruins a 3-0 lead at 1:12, and Mark McLaughlin made it 4-0 at 11:49. Just 26 seconds into the third period, David Pastrnak scored to give the Bruins a 5-0 lead before Max Sasson broke Boston's shutout with the final score of the game at 10:13.
It thrives in the Pacific Northwest
MacKinnon has scored 29 points (9g/20a) in 26 games against the Canucks including four points (1g/3a) in three games in 2023-24.
In nine games against Vancouver, Makar scored 14 points (3g/11a), including four points (1g/3a) in three contests last season.
Rantanen scored 29 points (14g/15a) in 18 games against Vancouver, including 10 points (6g/4a) in the last six games.
Canucks contributors
Quinn Hughes leads the Canucks in points (34) and assists (27).
Jake DeBrusk leads Vancouver in goals (14) and is fourth in points (23).
Elias Pettersson is second on the team in points (26) and assists (18) while tied for third in goals (8).
Numbers game
1.8
Since Dec. 7, the Avalanche have allowed 1.8 goals per game, the fifth-fewest in the NHL during that span.
55
The Avalanche have scored 55 goals on the road this season, sixth-most in the NHL.
5
McKinnon becomes the fifth active player to record 10 consecutive 50-point seasons, joining Patrick Kane, John Tavares, Alex Ovechkin and Anze Kopitar.
Quote Leave a mark
“I thought it was great. [He] only [had] Complete control of the game.”
– Avalanche coach Jared Bednar on Mackenzie Blackwood's performance in his Avalanche debut
2024-12-16 16:02:39
