Avalanche Weekly Update - Dec. 18
Colorado has three games before the NHL Holiday Break
by Colorado Avalanche @Avalanche / ColoradoAvalanche.com
Avalanche Notes
BREAKING 50: Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen are just the fifth set of teammates since 1981-82 to be the first two NHL players to reach 50 points in a season, joining Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby (2009-09), Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr (1995-96), Wayne Gretzky and Glenn Anderson (1985-86) and Gretzky and Jari Kurri (1983-84).
HISTORIC STREAK: Mikko Rantanen's career-long 14-game point streak was snapped against the New York Islanders on Monday night. The stretch matches the third-longest streak in Avalanche history (since 1995-96), trailing only Paul Stastny (20 games, Feb. 3-March 17, 2007) and Alex Tanguay (16 games, Feb. 6-March 7, 2003). Rantanen totaled 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) during the stretch and remains the league's points (56) and assists (41) leader.
Upcoming Games
Wednesday, December 19 vs. Montreal Canadiens
Pepsi Center, 6:30 p.m. MT, TV: Altitude, Radio: 92.5 FM
The Avalanche hosts the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. The Avs have won their last three home games against the Canadiens and are 11-2-1 at home versus Montreal since relocating to Denver in 1995-96.
Friday, December 21 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Pepsi Center, 7 p.m. MT, TV: Altitude, Radio: 92.5 FM
Colorado wraps up its four-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night, the first of five meetings between the Central-Division opponents this season and the first of three visits the Blackhawks will make to Denver.
Saturday, December 22 at Arizona Coyotes
Gila River Arena, 5 p.m. MT, TV: Altitude 2, Radio: 950 AM
The Avs and Coyotes clash for the second of three meetings this campaign. Colorado won the first matchup 5-1 on Nov. 23 in Glendale. Saturday's game is Colorado's last before the NHL's Holiday break, which runs from Dec. 24-26.
Player Spotlight: Gabriel Landeskog
Landeskog scored his 22nd goal of the season against the New York Islanders on Monday night and now ranks fourth in the NHL in goals. His seven power-play tallies are tied for sixth, and the Avs' captain is also tied for the league lead with six game-winning markers. Landeskog's plus-19 rating is tied for sixth among all skaters, and 14 of his 22 goals have come in the third period, making Landeskog the top-scoring player in the league in the final frame.
Avs In The Community
The Avalanche made its annual trip to a local pediatric hospital on Dec. 10, spreading holiday cheer to children and their families in the hospital.
Quotable
"It probably means I've been here a long time. No, Johnny is obviously a great player and there's been some great D to come through here so it's something that's cool for me and I'll take pride in, but it would have been a lot sweeter if it was a different outcome tonight. The focus of this team is all just on team performance and the individual stuff comes along with that, so that's nice, but we've got a lot of work ahead of us, yet." - Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie on tying John-Michael Liles for assists by a defenseman in franchise history