Colorado Avalanche (3-0-1) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (1-2-0)
5 p.m. MT | Nationwide Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
After a matinee Monday win against the Buffalo Sabres, the Avalanche travel to Columbus to face off against the Blue Jackets. This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season, as they’ll play in Denver on January 10th.
Latest Result (COL): COL 3, BUF 1
Latest Result (CBJ): NJD 3, CBJ 2
Winning in Western New York
Nathan MacKinnon scored his third and fourth goals of the season while Scott Wedgewood stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced to help the Avalanche defeat the Sabres 3-1 on Monday at KeyBank Center. MacKinnon opened the scoring at 3:14 of the first period after an incredible set of skill moves led him to find the back of the net via a no-look backhand shot from the left slot. Buffalo’s Tage Thompson tied the game with a wrist shot from inside the blue line at 16:32 of the opening frame. Cale Makar gave the Avs a 2-1 lead at 4:32 of the middle frame with his first goal of the season via a shot from the right doorstep set up by Valeri Nichushkin’s feed. While the teams were playing at four-on-four, MacKinnon scored his second goal of the game to give the Avs a 3-1 lead via a left-circle wrist shot.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon is tied for third in the league in points (8) and goals (4).
All Hail Cale
Makar is tied for first among NHL defensemen in points (5) and assists (4).
Marty Party
Necas is tied for third in the league in points (8) and tied for fifth in assists (5).
Series History
In 69 previous games against the Blue Jackets, the Avalanche are 44-19-6, including 1-1-0 last season.
Defeated by the Devils
The Blue Jackets lost to the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Monday at Nationwide Arena. New Jersey’s Timo Meier opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 15:47 of the first period. The Blue Jackets tied the game courtesy of a Kirill Marchenko goal at 8:49 of the middle frame. Dawson Mercer gave the Devils a 2-1 lead with a power-play tally at 11:09 of the second period. New Jersey doubled its lead at 19:03 of the third period when Mercer scored an empty-net goal. Dmitri Voronkov put the Blue Jackets within a goal at 19:39 of the third period.
Contributing Against Columbus
MacKinnon has posted 26 points (7g/19a) in 21 games against the Blue Jackets.
In eight contests against Columbus, Makar has registered 15 points (5g/10a).
Gabriel Landeskog has recorded 14 points (8g/6a) in 20 games against the Blue Jackets.
Capital City Scorers
Marchenko leads the Blue Jackets in goals (4) and is tied for the team lead in points (4).
Voronkov is tied for the team lead in points (4) and assists (2) while being second in goals (2).
Zach Werenski is tied for the team lead in assists (2) while being tied for third in points (3) and goals (1).
A Numbers Game
400
Makar is scheduled to skate in his 400th NHL game on Thursday. In his previous 399 contests, he’s posted 433 points (117g/316a).
98
Brock Nelson has posted 98 goals in 283 games against Metropolitan Division teams.
127
Since making his NHL debut in the 2017-18 season, Necas’ 127 goals are the third most among Czechia-born players.
Quote That Left a Mark
“It was great. We built off last game I thought. He creates so much time and space for me on his delays. I'm trying to let him do a lot off the rush because he's so good at it and he's so good at swinging in deep. It's really fun to play with him. Obviously [Artturi Lehkonen] makes it all possible with his routes, his net presence. We can't have three guys buzzing around the outside so we need someone in the paint and that's what Lehky's doing."
-- Nathan MacKinnon on his chemistry with Martin Necas and the importance of Artturi Lehkonen to the success of their line
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