CA-2425-DR-Preview-WEB (7)

Winnipeg Jets (31-14-3) @ Colorado Avalanche (28-19-1)

7:30 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: My20, Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

Concluding their five-game homestand, the Avalanche finish their season series with the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

Latest Result (COL): MIN 3, COL 1

Latest Result (WPG): WPG 2, UTA 5

Defeated at Home

The Avalanche lost 3-1 to the Minnesota Wild on Monday at Ball Arena. Nathan MacKinnon scored his 18th goal of the season while Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves, including two A-plus stops. Minnesota’s Jake Middleton, brother of Avs defenseman Keaton Middleton, opened the scoring with a shot from the point through traffic at 12:18 of the first period. At 18:52 of the second period, MacKinnon tied the game with a highlight-reel goal that included a give-and-go sequence with Samuel Girard and a deke around former Av Yakov Trenin. The Wild scored the next two goals from the slot courtesy of Trenin at 2:08 of the third and Brock Faber at 3:43 of the final frame.

Leading the Way

Nate the Great

MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (74) and assists (56).

All Hail Cale

Among NHL blueliners, Cale Makar leads defensemen in points (52), is tied for first in goals (15) and third in assists (37). His 37 assists are tied for 10th among all NHL skaters.

Moose Crossing

Mikko Rantanen is sixth in the league in points (63), tied for sixth in assists (38) and seventh in goals (25).

History

In 62 previous regular-season matchups against the Jets, the Avalanche are 29-26-7. This season, the home teams are undefeated, with the Jets winning in Winnipeg on November 7 and January 11 while the Avs won in Denver on December 31.

Struggles in Salt Lake City

The Jets lost 5-2 to the Utah Hockey Club at Delta Center on Monday. After a scoreless first period, Utah scored twice in the second period courtesy of goals by Olli Maatta at 16:00 and Logan Cooley at 19:42. In the third period, Utah took a 4-0 lead after goals by Barrett Hayton at 4:53 and Matias Maccelli at 8:04. The Jets responded with two goals of their own courtesy of Nino Niederreiter at 8:32 and Dylan DeMelo at 11:48. Clayton Keller sealed the victory for Utah with an empty-net goal at 17:55.

Taking Off Against the Jets

In 42 regular-season games against the Jets, MacKinnon has posted 39 points (15g/24a) in addition to nine points (2g/7a) in five playoff games.

Makar has recorded seven points (2g/5a) in 13 regular-season games against Winnipeg as well as nine points (2g/7a) in five playoff games.

Rantanen has registered 27 points (10g/17a) in 27 regular-season contests against the Jets in addition to nine points (2g/7a) in five playoff games.

Winnipeg’s Soaring Scorers

Kyle Connor leads the Jets in points (60) while ranking second in goals (26) and assists (34).

Mark Scheifele leads the Jets in goals (27), ranks second in points (54) and third in assists (27).

Gabriel Vilardi is third on the Jets in points (41) and goals (19) while ranking sixth in assists (22).

A Numbers Game

.674

The Avalanche’s .674 points percentage since December 1 is the fourth best in the NHL. Points percentage is the percentage of points a team collects throughout a season.

11

With his goal on Monday, MacKinnon became the fourth active player to post multiple 11-game home point streaks in the same season.

20:59

Devon Toews’ 20:59 of even-strength time-on-ice per game is the fifth most in the league.

Quote That Left a Mark

“We got to make sure we find that early and play the whole game like that. It’s hard, but it’s what [you’ve] got to do to win. [We’ve] got to start creating more, find ways to do that.”

-- Cale Makar on the team’s play in the third period on Monday