Colorado Avalanche (8-5-1) @ Chicago Blackhawks (4-9-1)
6 p.m. MST | United Center | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM), Altitude Sports Radio App
The Avalanche hits the road for a back-to-back that begins in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Monday. This is the first of four regular-season meetings between the Central Division foes in 2026-27, as the teams will meet in Chicago on February 28th, and in Denver on March 13th and March 21st.
Latest Result (COL): CGY 2, COL 5
Latest Result (CHI): CHI 4, BOS 5 (OT)
Weekend Win
The Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Saturday at Ball Arena. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, while Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Brock Nelson all added tallies for Colorado. Additionally, Cale Makar posted four assists, Devon Toews added two helpers and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced. MacKinnon opened the scoring at 14:13 of the first period with his ninth goal of the season via a left-circle shot set up by Makar’s feed. Colorado doubled its lead on the power play at 2:37 of the middle frame when Necas scored his seventh goal of the season via a left-circle one-timer set up by Kadri’s pass. Lehkonen gave the Avs a 3-0 lead at 5:48 of the second period with his 11th goal of the season via a shot from the slot. The Avalanche took a 4-0 lead at 9:07 of the second period when Nelson scored his fourth goal of the season when he batted a puck out of midair at the doorstep. Joel Farabee put the Flames on the board at 10:50 of the second period with a shot from the left doorstep. The Flames made it 4-2 at 1:59 of the third period when Martin Pospisil scored from the right doorstep. Lehkonen scored his second goal of the game and 12th of the season to give the Avs a 5-2 lead at 4:09 of the third period via a net-front redirect on Makar’s left-point shot.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon is tied for fifth in the NHL in points (24) and ranks eighth in assists (15).
All Hail Cale
Among NHL defensemen, Makar ranks tied for seventh in points (15), tied for eighth in assists (12) and tied for 10th in goals (3).
Good Stick, Lehky
Lehkonen is tied for second in the NHL in goals (12).
Series History
In 116 previous regular-season games against the Blackhawks, the Avalanche has a record of 69-36-3-8. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Avalanche defeating the Blackhawks in six games in Round Two in 1996 and in Round One in 1997.
Overtime in Boston
The Blackhawks lost to the Boston Bruins 5-4 in overtime at TD Garden on Saturday. In the first period, Anton Frondell’s power-play goal opened the scoring for Chicago at 6:04 before David Pastrnak tied the game for Boston at 13:05. In the middle frame, Frondell gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead at 3:31 before Casey Mittelstadt tied the game for the Bruins at 12:34. In the third period, goals from Ryan Greene at 9:38 and Connor Bedard at 12:20 put the Blackhawks up 4-2, but the Bruins tied the game after tallies from Mason Lohrei at 13:06 and Morgan Geekie at 19:48. In overtime, Elias Lindholm scored the game-winning goal for Boston at 2:32.
Producing Offense Against the Blackhawks
MacKinnon has posted 53 points (16g/37a) in 47 games against the Blackhawks.
In 18 contests against Chicago, Makar has recorded 19 points (9g/10a).
Necas has registered 20 points (11g/9a) in 22 games against the Blackhawks.
Windy City Scorers
Roman Kantserov leads the Blackhawks in goals (5) and ranks fourth in points (7).
Patrick Kane leads Chicago in assists (8) and is tied for first in points (9).
Bedard is tied for the Blackhawks lead in points (9), is second in goals (4) and tied for second in assists (5).
A Numbers Game
12
Lehkonen’s 12 goals are the most by an Avalanche player in the first 14 games of a season since the franchise moved to Colorado.
29
MacKinnon’s 29 goals on the road since the start of the 2025-26 season are the fifth most in the NHL.
4.21
Colorado leads the NHL with 4.21 goals per game.
Quote That Left a Mark
“He’s playing really well right now, and that line is humming. Art’s (Lehkonen) finding really good spots offensively to put pucks in the net and then facilitate for other guys too. He’s definitely one of the hardest-working guys I know. [He] comes to compete every single day, and he’s getting rewarded right now.”
-- Cale Makar on Artturi Lehkonen’s play
