"We came back after the [Stars'] fourth goal and we were like, 'Hey boys, let's play our game and we'll see what happens,' and we got a goal right away," said defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
The Avs' top forward combination of Landeskog, MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen finished the night with five goals and nine points (five goals and four assists), increasing their combined season total of 57 goals and 148 points (57 goals, 91 assists). It is the most points after 33 games by three teammates since Mario Lemieux (76), Jaromir Jagr (68) and Ron Francis (59) collected 203 points in 1995-96 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Colorado's top grouping has already risen to the occasion several times this season when the team has found itself in a jam, but the Avalanche is looking for a more complete performance this evening when it hosts the New York Islanders at Pepsi Center.
"It definitely gives us confidence because we are confident in our top line, and they score the big goals for us all the time," Zadorov said. "As a group, we just have to stick to our system and try to have our best game so our top line doesn't have to step up every game."
This is the Eastern Conference Islanders' only trip to Denver this season, and the clubs will finish its yearly series on Feb. 9 in New York.
While they don't play each other often, the Avs are expecting a tough matchup against a well-balanced Islanders squad that is 2-1-1 in its last four contests.
"They're a good team, a hardworking team. One of the stingiest teams defensively out east," said Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. "Watching through their last handful of games, they've been real good. Working real hard. They are tough to find space on, they skate real well, and they have ability to hang onto pucks in the offensive zone from what I've seen. It looks like it is going to be a tough matchup, tough game, and we would expect nothing less."
New York averages 2.84 goals per game, ranking 10th in the league, and is 12th in the NHL allowing 30.9 shots per outing. On the flip side, Colorado is the third highest-scoring club with 3.72 goals per game and will likely need another strong offensive showing this evening.
"We watched some video, and I think they're a really quick team. They play north hockey," Rantanen said of the Islanders. "They like to move around in the O-zone, and that is how they wear down teams mostly. It's going to be a tough matchup, but the way we played last game we just have to keep going like that."
That includes having another strong first period like the Avs had on Saturday. Colorado produced three goals and a season-high 20 shots in the stanza, which also featured two disallowed markers from the club that were overturned due to goaltender interference.
"Our start and focus is going to be a key to it," Bednar said. "I loved our start the other night. It was one of our best first periods, and we want to make sure we come out and be the aggressors tonight. Especially against a team like the Islanders."
