Colorado Faces Vegas in Preseason Opener

The Colorado Avalanche heads to Las Vegas to take on the Golden Knights on Tuesday at 8 p.m. MT at T-Mobile Arena in its first game of the 2021-22 preseason.
Colorado will play six exhibition games before its season opener at home on Oct. 13 versus the Chicago Blackhawks. The Avs faces the Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars twice each over the next two weeks, playing each opponent at home and on the road.
This is the first set of preseason games the league has played since the 2019-20 season after jumping right into the 2020-21 campaign without exhibition outings. Tuesday's game will be broadcast on NHL Network.

Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights

T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, Nev.
| Game Time: 8:00 p.m. MT | | --- | | TV:NHL Network | | Radio: KKSE Altitude Sports, FM 92.5/AM 950 | | Online Audio: Listen Live Here | | Stream:NHL.tv |

COLORADO-VEGAS CONNECTIONS

Vegas forward 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 Avs have played preseason games against Vegas three times in each of the previous four seasons, going 1-1 in each exhibition year versus the Golden Knights. Colorado is 9-6-1 all-time against Vegas during the regular season.
The Knights began preseason play on Sunday against the San Jose Sharks. Vegas fell 4-2 to San Jose, which used a split squad in the exhibition outing. Goaltender Logan Thompson was in net for the Knights and made 24-of-28 saves. Veteran Max Pacioretty and prospect Paul Cotter netted the goals for Vegas.

ROSTER REPORT

Following the last day of training camp on Monday, head coach Jared Bednar said that Colorado will have a young lineup for Tuesday's exhibition game with a mix of veterans. The team will announce its full game roster on Tuesday morning. The Avalanche also reassigned five players on Monday afternoon, reducing its preseason roster to 51.

INJURY UPDATE

The Avs have three players that have yet to practice with the team and are not expected to play. Defenseman Devon Toews (upper body) is anticipated to miss the beginning of the season, although he has been skating by himself through camp in a non-contact jersey. Prospects Tarun Fizer (upper body), Roland McKeown (COVID-19 protocol) and Steffan Matteau (COVID-19 protocol) are all expected to be out. Matteau missed the first three practices of camp in COVID-19 protocol but joined the group on Monday.

NOTEBOOK

Colorado will play Vegas, Dallas and Minnesota in the preseason for the fourth time in the past five years after the league did not have any preseason games in 2020-21… The Avalanche went 3-2-1 during the preseason in 2019… Colorado hosts the Wild in preseason game No. 2 on Thursday before playing at Minnesota on Monday.