First Round Game 3 Preview: Avalanche at Kraken

COLORADO AVALANCHE (1-1) VS SEATTLE KRAKEN (1-1)
8:00 PM MT | CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENAWATCH: ALTITUDE / TBSLISTEN: 92.5FM/950 AM
The best-of-seven First Round series of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken shifts to the Emerald City with Game 3 slated on Saturday night at Climate Pledge Arena. The Avalanche will look to build off their 3-2 victory in Game 2 and break the current 1-1 tie in the series.

LAST TIME OUT - GAME 2 RECAP

The series is now tied thanks to Devon Toew's game-winning goal in the third period to even the series in a 3-2 victory. Toews (along with Evan Rodrigues) factored on Valeri Nichushkin's first goal of the playoffs. Artturi Lehkonen also scored his first goal of the postseason and was assisted by defensemen Bowen Byram and Cale Makar. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped 27 of the 29 shots that came his way as he earned his first-career playoff win. Darren Helm made his postseason debut as the veteran winger returned to the lineup for the first time since April 1, after being sidelined with a lower-body injury during the final stretch of the regular season.
For Seattle, centerman Yanni Gourde assisted on both of their goals - a shorthanded goal scored by forward Brandon Tanev and another even-strength strike scored by defenseman Justin Schultz. Forward Eevi Tolvanen also assisted on Schultz's goal. Goalie and former Avalanche Philipp Grubauer got the start in net again, turning away 38 of the 41 shots he faced.

SERIES SHOWDOWN

Unique Numbers

8 x 2

Center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Bowen Byram each finished with eight shots on goal.

90

The two teams combined for 90 hits in Thursday's contest.

0.0%

Both teams have also combined for zero goals with the man advantage so far in this series.

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS

| SHOTS | 76 | 59 | | HITS | 79 | 80 | | BLOCKS | 39 | 33 | | PIMs | 14 | 12 | | SCORING | 4 | 5 | | SPECIAL TEAMS | 0-2 | 0-5 | | GF/G | 2.00 | 2.50 | | GA/G | 2.50 | 2.00 | | FOW% | 55.8% | 44.3% | | | Avalanche | Kraken | | --- | --- | --- |

LINEUP UPDATES

Avalanche

Andrew CoglianoUpper body
Jack JohnsonLower body
Gabriel LandeskogLower body

Kraken

Andre BurakovskyLower body
Joonas DonskoiUpper body
John HaydenLower body

GOALTENDING MATCHUP

Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made his second consecutive start in net, earning the win thanks to stopping 27 of the 29 shots he faced. He is now 1-1-0 in the 2022-23 postseason and 1-2-0 overall. He now holds a 2.37 GAA and .922 sV% in his young playoff career.
Goalie Philipp Grubauer also made his second consecutive start in goal, but lost despite stopping 38 of the 41 shots that came his way. In the 2022-23 playoffs he is also 1-1-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .947 sV%. For his career, Grubauer is 20-11-1 in 34 games started, with a 2.47 GAA and .915 sV%.

HEATING UP

Cale Makar recorded his 46th career postseason helper Thursday night, one shy of tying Sandis Ozolinsh (47 for the most by a defenseman in franchise history and matching Ozolinsh for the sixth-most by any Avalanche/Noridques skater. He has collected 61 career points in the postseason, moving ahead of Valeri Kamensky (60) to take over sole possession of 10th place in franchise history in playoff points.
Defenseman Justin Schultz's goal was the first by a defenseman in franchise history and Brandon Tanev's shorthanded goal was also the first of its kind in franchise history.

QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK

"I think we were just trying to relax a little bit. You know, we came out a little tight and the belief in our room is always there and that's something that drove us throughout the rest of the game. Second and third periods, we finally got to our game and showed what we can do." - Defenseman Devon Toews on Thursday's victory
"I think it was kind of getting back to our game. We weren't making plays, we weren't doing the things that made us successful in the back half of the season and I think once we did that, we just started to pour them on and wear them down and that's when we started to get our chances." - Forward Evan Rodrigues on the game Thursday evening