Colorado Avalanche (31-2-7) @ Florida Panthers (21-16-3)
3 p.m. MT | Amerant Bank Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
In the second game of its weekend back-to-back, the Avalanche faces the Florida Panthers on Sunday. This is the second and final regular-season meeting between the teams, as the Avalanche defeated the Panthers 6-2 on December 11th in Denver.
Latest Result (COL): COL 5, CAR 3
Latest Result (FLA): NYR 5, FLA 1
A Rally in Raleigh
The Avalanche erased a two-goal third-period deficit and defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 on Saturday at Lenovo Center to extend its win streak to 10 games. Brock Nelson posted a pair of power-play goals and Nathan MacKinnon recorded four points (1g/3a) while Gabriel Landeskog and Jack Drury each added a tally. With the win, Colorado became the fourth team in NHL history to record multiple win streaks of at least 10 games in the same season, joining the 2019-20 Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins in 1970-71 and 1929-30. Additionally, the Avs’ two regulation losses are the fewest by a team through 40 games in NHL history. Carolina’s Sebastian Aho opened the scoring at 18:09 of the first period via a shorthanded goal on a breakaway. Landeskog tied the game at 1:47 of the second period with his seventh goal of the season via a wraparound. At 4:47 of the middle frame, Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal via a shot from the slot. Andrei Svechnikov made it 3-1 at 7:50 of the second period via a backhand shot from the doorstep off the rush. At 1:09 of the third period, Nelson cut Colorado’s deficit in half on the power play with his 17th goal of the season via a net-front deflection. The Avs tied the game 39 seconds later, at 1:42 of the third period, when Drury scored his seventh goal of the season via a left-circle shot set up by Ross Colton’s feed. Nelson gave the Avs a 4-3 lead on the power play at 7:30 of the third period with his second goal of the game and 18th of the season via a right-circle one-timer set up by MacKinnon at the end of an incredible passing sequence by Colorado. MacKinnon made it 5-3 at 19:42 of the third period with his 35th goal of the season via an awarded empty-net tally. By scoring that goal, MacKinnon posted the 33rd game of his career with at least four points and passed Joe Sakic for the second most in franchise history.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals (35) and points (74) while ranking tied for fourth in assists (39).
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in points (47) and assists (35) while ranking tied for third in goals by blueliners (12). Among all NHL skaters, he’s seventh in assists.
Marty Party
Martin Necas is seventh in the NHL in points (53) and tied for eighth in assists (34).
Series History
In 45 previous regular-season games against the Panthers, the Avalanche has a record of 26-12-2-5. The teams have met once in the playoffs, with the Avalanche defeating the Panthers in four games in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.
Friday in Florida
The Panthers lost 5-1 to the New York Rangers at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park. The Rangers took a 2-0 first-period lead after goals from Mika Zibanejad on the power play at 15:09 and Artemi Panarin at 16:13. Zibanejad gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead with a goal at 58 seconds of the middle frame. Sam Reinhart put the Panthers on the board with a power-play goal at 2:20 of the third period. The Rangers took a 5-1 lead after a power-play goal from Panarin at 12:25 and a shorthanded empty-net goal from Zibanejad at 18:32.
Contributors Against the Cats
Artturi Lehkonen has posted 10 points (6g/4a) in 20 games against the Panthers.
In 16 contests against Florida, Landeskog has recorded 10 points (6g/4a).
Nelson has registered 15 points (8g/7a) in 33 regular-season games against the Panthers, along with six points (3g/3a) in 10 playoff contests.
Scoring in South Florida
Brad Marchand leads the Panthers in points (46) and assists (23) while being tied for first in goals (23).
Reinhart is tied for the team lead in goals (23) while ranking second in points (44) and assists (21).
Anton Lundell is third on the Panthers in points (31) while ranking tied for third in goals (13) and assists (18).
A Numbers Game
59
Colorado's 59 third-period goals are the most in the NHL.
24
MacKinnon’s 24 multi-point games this season lead the NHL.
.786
The Avalanche’s .786 points percentage on the road is the best in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“I think for us, we’re doing a lot of good things [at] five-on-five tonight. Just gotta find a way to get one. You get one, and it’s a one-goal game, and that’s really what we talked about. Then once you get one, then it’s just a matter of kind of tilting the ice that way and that’s what we did in the third and [the team] was able to come up with [a] big two points.”
-- Gabriel Landeskog on the message to the team entering the third period of Saturday’s win against the Hurricanes
