Avs Look To Even Series in Game 4

The Colorado Avalanche looks to even its series against the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the second-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center on Thursday. The Avalanche trail San Jose 2-1 in the best-of-seven set.
It is the second contest of the series to be played in Denver. Following the outing, the clubs will head back to San Jose to compete in Game 5 on Saturday.

Recapping Game 3

Despite erasing a two-goal deficit to tie the game at 2-2 midway through the third period, Colorado fell 4-2 to San Jose at Pepsi Center on Tuesday. Logan Couture and Timo Meier notched two markers in the first period for the Sharks but Nathan MacKinnon responded to cut the Sharks' lead in half at the second intermission with his fifth tally of the postseason. Matt Nieto tied the clash in the third frame, but two more goals from Couture, including one into an empty net, ended the evening. The Avalanche successfully killed all four penalties it took while goaltender Philipp Grubauer turned aside 27-of-30 shots.

What To Watch

Best-of-Seven Series
The Avs and Sharks have met in four previous playoff series (1999, 2002, 2004, 2010) and each round saw at least six or more contests each. The clubs have split the previous sets with Colorado winning the 1999 and 2002 series 4-2 and 4-3, respectively. The Avalanche is 2-2 in Game 4 against the Sharks, and 2-0 in Game 4 when facing San Jose in the second round.
MacKinnon Moment
MacKinnon's goal on Tuesday marked the seventh game in a row that he's notched a point. The center has the longest point streak of any player in the 2019 playoffs and has the longest for an Avalanche skater since Peter Forsberg's streak (seven games) in 2004. MacKinnon is tied for first in the league for playoff points, having notched 12 (five goals, seven assists) through eight outings. He is also the sole NHL leader with six power-play points (two goals, four assists).

Players To Watch

Colorado: Left Wing Matt Nieto
Nieto lit the lamp for the fourth time this postseason, setting a new career high for playoff scoring with six points so far. Two of the forward's goals were notched while shorthanded, the most of any player in the NHL. Nieto is tied for fourth on the Avalanche in points through eight playoff games and leads the club with a plus-5 rating.
San Jose: Center Logan Couture
Couture notched his first career playoff hat trick in Tuesday's tilt, bringing his 2019 postseason point total to 12 points (nine goals, three assists), sharing the NHL lead with MacKinnon, Carolina's Jaccob Slavin and Vegas' Mark Stone. Couture's nine markers also top the league and are one shy of a playoff-career high for Couture (10 goals, 2015-16). In the regular season, he racked up 70 points (27 goals, 43 assists) in 81 outings, finishing third on San Jose.

The Details

Game 4 of the second-round series between the Avalanche and Sharks is slated for 8 p.m. MT. The game can be watched nationally in the United States on NBCSN, viewed online at NBCSports.com or streamed on select devices with the NBC Sports App. The contest will be televised throughout Canada on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports. The radio broadcast can be heard locally on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM or online at ColoradoAvalanche.com.
Tune in to Altitude TV before and after Game 4 for complete coverage of the Avs. Avalanche Face-off starts at 7:30 p.m. and the Avalanche Locker Room Report begins immediately following the conclusion of the contest.
The Avalanche will once again hold a playoff tailgate party outside of Pepsi Center at the Camry South Parking Lot before and during the game.
The tailgate begins three hours prior to puck drop and includes a live band, DJ, food trucks, t-shirt giveaways, appearances by alumni and more. Fans without a ticket to Game 4 can watch the action on a giant television screen at the tailgate as well.