Avalanche Begins Preseason vs. Golden Knights
Colorado opens six-game exhibition schedule at home
by Ron Knabenbauer @RonKnab / ColoradoAvalanche.com
The Colorado Avalanche takes on the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT at Pepsi Center in its first game of the 2019-20 preseason.
Colorado will play six exhibition contests before its regular season opener on Oct. 3 versus the Calgary Flames. The Avs will face the Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild twice each over the next two weeks, playing each at home and on the road.
Vegas played in the first preseason game in the NHL this year, winning 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at home against the Arizona Coyotes. Max Pacioretty had three goals and an assist in the game, while Cody Eakin also had a multi-point outing with a tally and a helper. Goaltender Malcolm Subban stopped 28-of-30 shots.
Avalanche vs. Golden Knights
Pepsi Center | Denver, Colo.
| Game Time: | 7:00 p.m. MT |
| Doors Open: | 6:00 p.m. MT |
| TV: | Altitude (blackouts apply), KTNV |
| Radio: | Altitude Sports Radio, FM 92.5 / AM 950 |
| Stream: | AltitudeNow.com (blackouts apply) |
| Tickets | Statistics |
Avalanche Live begins at 6:30 p.m. on Altitude TV.
COLORADO-VEGAS CONNECTIONS
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare played the previous two seasons with Vegas after being selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft by the Golden Knights… Avalanche forward Jayson Megna's brother, Jaycob, is in his first season with the Vegas organization… Paul Stastny played his first eight NHL seasons with the Avalanche and ranks ninth in franchise history in scoring with 458 points (160g/298a)… Nick Holden played three seasons with the Avalanche from 2013-2016… Vegas rookie Jake Leschyshyn' father, Curtis, is a pro scout with the Avalanche and played for the franchise from 1988-1996, winning the Stanley Cup in 1996. Jake Leschyshyn was junior teammates with Colorado's Nick Henry with the Regina Pats (WHL) and joined Henry in a trade to the Lethbridge Hurricanes during the 2018-19 season.
HISTORY
The Avalanche has played preseason games against Vegas in each of the previous two seasons, going 1-1 in each exhibition year versus the Golden Knights.
Colorado is 3-3-0 all-time against Vegas during the regular season. The Avs went 2-1-0 last year against the Knights, winning each of the last two matchups--both at home.
ROSTER REPORT
Following Monday's practice, Colorado head coach Jared Bednar said that he had yet to finalize his lineup for the first preseason game but that the game roster will feature mostly younger players.
Defenseman Nikita Zadorov didn't practice on Monday due to a lower-body injury and won't play versus the Golden Knights.
The Avs reassigned six players on Monday afternoon, reducing its preseason roster to 51.
The Avalanche will announce its full game lineup on Tuesday morning.
INJURY UPDATE
Ian Cole (hips)
Kevin Connauton (cheek bone)
Erik Johnson (shoulder)
Colin Wilson (shoulder)
Nikita Zadorov (lower body)
NOTEBOOK
Colorado will play Vegas, Dallas and Minnesota in the preseason for the third straight year… The Avalanche went 3-3-0 during the preseason in 2018… Colorado hosts Dallas in preseason game No. 2 on Thursday before playing at Minnesota on Saturday.