COLORADO AVALANCHE (47-21-6) AT COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (24-38-12)
5:00 PM MDT | NATIONWIDE ARENA | WATCH: ALTITUDE TV | LISTEN: 92.5 FM
The Avalanche make their way to Nationwide Arena on Monday night to battle the Blue Jackets. Colorado wrapped up the month of March with a 10-2-1 record. The Avs clinched a spot in the NHL Playoffs Saturday, that is tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history behind the 11-year stretch from 1995-2006. The Avalanche rank fifth in the NHL in points having accumulated 100 points this campaign. Columbus has lost six of its last seven contests coming into tonight’s matchup. The Blue Jackets rank last in the Eastern Conference with 60 points this season.
Latest Results:
March 30, 2024 COL: 7 NSH: 4
March 30, 2024 CBJ: 4 PIT: 3 (SO)
PUSHING THE PREDS
The Avalanche defeated the Predators 7-4 on Saturday night at Ball Arena. The victory clinched a playoff berth for the Avalanche for the seventh consecutive season. Cole Smith opened the scoring for the Predators 3:41 into the first period. Jonathan Drouin leveled the game at one with his 15th goal of the season. The Predators found the back of the net twice in 41 seconds from Mark Jankowski and Dante Fabbro. Casey Mittelstadt lit the lamp to cut the deficit to one. Nashville extended its lead to two 57 seconds into the second period when Gustav Nyquist found the back of the net. Colorado then tallied five straight with contributions coming from Artturi Lehkonen (power play), Cale Makar (power play) and former Pred, Yakov Trenin, in the middle frame. Nathan Mackinnon scored his 46th and 47th goals in the third period to secure the 7-4 victory.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
MacKinnon registered 2g/2a and now paces the NHL in points this season with 127 (47g/80a), 81 of which have come at home. His overall season point total is good for the second-most in a campaign in Avalanche/Nordiques history, trailing only Peter Stastny‘s 139 points in 1981-82). The pair of helpers got MacKinnon past the 80-assist threshold. He joins Peter Forsberg (86 assists in 1995-96) as the only Avalanche to record an 80-assist season. Peter Stastny (93 assists in 1981-82 and 81 assists in 1985-86) is the only one to do it in the Nordiques era.
Makar recorded his 30th career three-point game (1g/2a) and 50th career multi-assist game to boost his season scoring line to (19g/62a). His 19 goals also shares the lead (Josi) among blueliners in that category.. Makar joins Paul Coffey (5), Bobby Orr (5), Denis Potvin (4), Brian Leetch (2) and Ray Bourque (2) as the only defensemen in NHL history to record multiple 80-point seasons before turning 26 years old.
Mikko Rantanen chipped in three assists and now has 100 points on the campaign (39g/61a). At the conclusion of the Avalanche game, Rantanen sits at sixth in the NHL scoring race and makes Colorado the only team with two players at or above the century mark.
Trenin’s tally was his first as a member of the Avalanche after being acquired from Nashville on March 7,2024.
Justus Annunen entered the game in relief of Alexandar Georgiev at the 19:03 mark of the second period, making 22 saves on 22 shots. That’s the most an Avalanche netminder has recorded in a game he did not start with 0 goals against since Adam Werner stopped 40 on Nov. 12, 2019.
Jared Bednar joined Michel Bergeron (1980-87) as the only head coach in Avalanche/Nordiques history to guide the team to seven straight playoff berths.
HISTORY
The Avalanche own a 43-17-1-5 all-time record against the Blue Jackets, and a 20-8-1-3 mark on the road. Colorado is 8-4-2 in its last 12 trips to Nationwide Arena, outscoring them 40-30. The Avs were victorious against the Blue Jackets 6-1 on March 22 at Ball Arena.
SNAPPING A STREAK
The Blue Jackets ended their six-game losing streak on Saturday in the shootout against the Penguins. Mathieu Olivier kicked off the scoring with a shorthanded goal to give Columbus a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period. Pittsburgh struck twice in the middle frame when Drew O’Connor and Bryan Rust lit the lamp, to take a 3-1 lead at the end of the second intermission. Rickard Rakell recorded his 12th goal of the season in the third period. Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski struck 2:39 apart to tie the game at three. Damon Severson lit the lamp in the fifth round of the shoot-out to earn the extra point for Columbus.
STATS TO KNOW
Rantanen led the Avalanche with two goals and an assist in the first contest with the Blue Jackets this season.
Ross Colton has tallied seven points (6g/1a) in 12 career games against Columbus. The seven points are tied for the third-most he has recorded against any franchise.
Colorado has outscored Columbus 46-34 in their past 16 trips to Nationwide Arena.
BUZZING BLUE JACKETS
Zach Werenski has recorded 48 points (7g/41a) this season, his next point will mark a career-high.
Johnny Gaudreau leads the Blue Jackets in points with 55 points (11g/44a) this campaign.
Boone Jenner paces Columbus with 22 goals this season.
NUMBERS GAME
127
MacKinnon ranks first among all NHL skaters this season with 127 points (47g/80a).
3
The Avalanche are the only team with three players in the top seven for the most assists this season (MacKinnon-80, Makar-62, and Rantanen-61).
4
Devon Toews is riding a four-game point streak where he has collected (1g/4a).
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“We are playing basically all playoff teams coming down the stretch, all teams that are looking to go on deep runs. We are going to just have to keep playing these games and make sure we are physically in tune, mentally in check and systematically good as well.”
- Colorado D Cale Makar on the team’s confidence
