Chicago Blackhawks (20-35-9) @ Colorado Avalanche (37-24-2)
7 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude2, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (950 AM)
After a thrilling win against the Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Avalanche battle to continue their hot streak when they face the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. This is the third meeting between the teams this season, as they’ll finish their season series on April 2nd in Chicago.
Latest Result (COL): TOR 4, COL 7
Latest Result (CHI): CHI 2, NSH 3 (OT)
A Game of Firsts
The Avalanche beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 at Ball Arena on Saturday. Valeri Nichushkin posted his first-career regular season hat trick and Nathan MacKinnon became the first player to reach 100 points this season. Additionally, Sam Malinski posted his first-career multi-assist game while Ross Colton added a pair of helpers. Nichushkin opened the scoring with his 13th goal of the season at 56 seconds of the first period via a net-front deflection. Mitch Marner tied the game for the Maple Leafs at 3:04 of the first period via a right-circle wrist shot. At 6:08 of the opening frame, Nichushkin gave the Avs a 2-1 lead with his 14th goal of the season via a right-circle shot assisted by Brock Nelson, who picked up his first point as an Av. John Tavares tied the game at with a wrist shot from the slot at 12:51 of the first period. Marner scored his second goal of the game to give the Maple Leafs a 3-2 lead at 16:04 with a right-circle wrist shot. Tavares doubled Toronto’s lead with a power-play goal from the low slot at 12:45 of the second period.
Joel Kiviranta cut Colorado’s deficit in half at 13:11 of the middle frame with his 13th goal of the season via a shot from the slot assisted by Colton. At 11:55 of the third period, Jonathan Drouin scored his ninth goal of the season to tie the game with a one-timer from the slot assisted by Charlie Coyle, who picked up his first point as an Av. MacKinnon gave the Avs the lead on the power play at 15:45 of the third with his 26th goal of the season via a left-circle wrist shot. Nichushkin completed his hat trick with his 15th goal of the season via an empty-net tally at 18:06 of the third period. MacKinnon recorded his 27th goal and 100th point of the season with an empty-net tally at 19:07 of the third period.
A Mile High on the Leaderboards
Nate the Great
MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (100) and assists (73).
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in points (75), goals (24) and assists (51). Among all NHL skaters, he’s seventh in assists and tied for eighth in points.
A Marty Party
Martin Necas is eighth in the NHL in assists (50).
History
In 111 previous regular-season meetings with the Blackhawks, the Avalanche are 64-36-11. In their two earlier meetings this season, the Blackhawks won 5-2 on October 28th in Denver and were victorious by a 3-1 score in Chicago on January 8th. The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Avs winning both the 1996 Western Conference Semi-Finals and 1997 Western Conference Quarterfinal in six games.
Extra Hockey in Nashville
The Blackhawks lost 3-2 in overtime to the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday. Chicago’s Alex Vlasic opened the scoring at 1:56 of the second period before Steven Stamkos tied the game on the power play at 2:36 of the middle frame. At 12:20 of the middle frame, Stamkos scored his second goal of the game to give Nashville a 2-1 lead. Ilya Mikheyev tied the game for Chicago at 12:22 of the third period. At 2:39 of overtime, Stamkos completed his hat trick to win the game for Nashville.
Capitalizing Against Chicago
MacKinnon has posted 45 points (16g/29a) in 42 games against the Blackhawks.
In 13 games against Chicago, Makar has recorded 13 points (5g/8a).
Necas has posted 13 points (8g/5a) in 17 games against the Blackhawks.
Windy City Stars
Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks in points (52), is tied for first in assists (35) and is tied for second in goals (17).
Ryan Donato leads the Blackhawks in goals (23) while ranking third in points (48) and assists (25).
Teuvo Teravainen is tied for the team lead in assists (35), second on the team in points (50) while being fourth in goals (15).
A Numbers Game
1
MacKinnon is one point away from becoming the 100th player in NHL history to reach 1,000-career points.
2
MacKinnon became the second player in franchise history to record at least three-consecutive 100-point seasons, joining Peter Stastny.
3
MacKinnon is one point from becoming the third player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to post 1,000 points with the franchise, joining Joe Sakic (1,641) and Stastny (1,048).
Quote That Left a Mark
"He continues to impress me. Because when I first came here, he was battling to try to hit 100 points. And he's grown a lot as a player, as a leader, the consistency, [and] the way he's dangerous every time he touches the ice."
-- Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on Nathan MacKinnon
