Colorado Avalanche (44-11-9) @ Winnipeg Jets (26-28-10)
2 p.m. MT | Canada Life Centre | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
After a win on Thursday, the Avalanche travels to Canada to conclude its road trip on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. This is the second of four regular-season meetings between the teams, as they’ll play in Winnipeg on March 26th, and in Denver on March 28th.
Latest Result (COL): COL 5, SEA 1
Latest Result (WPG): NYR 6, WPG 3
Two Points in the Pacific Northwest
Nathan MacKinnon recorded the 35th regular-season four-point game (1g/3a) of his career to help the Avalanche defeat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday. The Avs had 10 players register at least a point, with Martin Necas, Nicolas Roy, Nazem Kadri and Joel Kiviranta all scoring a goal. Additionally, Devon Toews posted his 35th regular-season multi-assist game with the Avalanche and tied Sandis Ozolinsh for the second-most such games in franchise history by a defenseman. In net for Colorado, Scott Wedgewood stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced and made several fantastic saves. Necas opened the scoring at 3:45 of the opening frame, notching his first-career 30-goal season via a shot from the right doorstep set up by MacKinnon’s cross-ice feed that was tipped by Toews in the slot. The Avalanche doubled its lead at 12:54 of the first period when MacKinnon scored his 44th goal of the season when his pass from the right goal line deflected off the right skate of Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson and into the net. Roy gave the Avs a 3-0 lead on the power play at 18:48 of the first period with his seventh goal of the season via a shot from the doorstep. With the secondary assist on the goal, MacKinnon posted the 174th regular-season multi-assist game of his career and passed Peter Stastny for the second-most such contests in franchise history. At 13:36 of the second period, Ryker Evans put Seattle on the board with a shorthanded goal via a shot from the left slot. Scoring his first tally since being acquired by Colorado on March 6th, Kadri gave the Avs a 4-1 lead at 17:11 of the second period with his 13th goal of the season via a deflection from the slot on Sam Malinski’s right-point one-timer. Kiviranta put the Avs up 5-1 at 12:41 of the third period via a net-front deflection on Josh Manson’s left-point one-timer.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals (44), while ranking second in points (108) and third in assists (64).
All Hail Cale
Among NHL defensemen, Cale Makar is tied for third in points (66), tied for fourth in goals (19) and tied for fifth in assists (47).
Marty Party
Necas is tied for sixth in the NHL in points (79).
Series History
In 64 previous regular-season games against the Winnipeg Jets franchise, the Avalanche has a record of 30-26-1-7. The teams have met once in the playoffs, with the Avalanche defeating the Jets in five games in the 2024 Western Conference First Round.
A Battle with the Rangers
The Jets lost 6-3 to the New York Rangers at Canada Life Centre on Thursday. New York’s Adam Fox opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 1:08 of the first period. In the second period, Isak Rosen tied the game for Winnipeg at 2:21, Alexis Lafreniere gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 7:36 and Kyle Connor evened the score at 17:49. Tye Kartye gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead at 1:15 of the third period before Gabriel Vilardi tied the game for the Jets at 4:19. The Rangers took a 6-3 lead after third-period goals from Gabe Perreault at 6:57 and Adam Edstrom at 11:08 along with an empty-net tally by Noah Laba at 19:09.
Generating Offense Against the Jets
MacKinnon has posted 41 points (16g/25a) in 44 regular-season games against the Jets, in addition to nine points (2g/7a) in five playoff contests.
Makar has recorded nine points (2g/7a) in five playoff games against Winnipeg, in addition to eight points (3g/5a) in 15 regular-season contests.
Necas has registered eight points (6g/2a) in 10 games against the Jets.
Making Plays in Manitoba
Mark Scheifele leads the Jets in points (79), goals (30) and assists (49).
Connor is second on Winnipeg in points (72), goals (29) and assists (43).
Vilardi is third on the Jets in points (54) and goals (25) while ranking fourth in assists (29).
A Numbers Game
989
On Thursday, Brent Burns played in his 989th consecutive game and tied Keith Yandle for the second-longest consecutive games streak in NHL history.
57.1%
Among the 39 players in the NHL this season who have taken at least 300 defensive-zone face-offs, Jack Drury’s 57.1% win rate in those draws is the third best.
62
Necas’ 62 even-strength points are the fifth most in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
"I love the way he defended tonight. He was stripping guys of pucks and getting physical at times in the [defensive] zone and getting us started. But, it just seemed like every time he got the puck, he knew where it was going and he knew where the open man was. A lot of times that was Marty (Necas) with speed, and they had good chemistry tonight."
-- Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on Nathan MacKinnon's game on Thursday
