Game Preview: Avalanche at Golden Knights

COLORADO AVALANCHE VS. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
8:00 PM MT | T-MOBILE ARENAWATCH: ALTITUDE 2LISTEN: 92.5FM/950 AM
The Colorado Avalanche are set to play their second game in as many nights, this time in Sin City against the Golden Knights. Coming off a defeat at the tentacles of the Kraken, the Avs are hoping to keep the losing streak at two games. The game will begin at 8 P.M. MT.

The Golden Knights most recently played the Winnipeg Jets, winning 5-2 on Thursday.

HISTORY

Colorado and Vegas have faced off 19 times in the regular season, with the Avs going 11-7-1 all time. The teams' most notable matchup was in the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, where the Avalanche went up 2-0 in the series before losing the next four games in the semifinals.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Three Golden Knights skaters are tied for the team lead first place in points with five - forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Jack Eichel and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. Marchessault also leads the team in goals with four.
AVALANCHE VS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
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LINEUP UPDATES

The Avalanche announced on Wednesday that captain Gabriel Landeskog will now be sidelined for at least 12 weeks after undergoing surgery. Veteran center Darren Helm is still sidelined after undergoing offseason surgery, but has been skating. Defenseman Jacob MacDonald has been practicing but has not appeared in a game yet this season.
Vegas Robin Lehner and forward Nolan Patrick remain on long-term injured reserve for the Golden Knights. Goalie Laurent Brossoit is still recovering from offseason surgery and backup goalie Adin Hill just played against Winnipeg, so Logan Thompson is expected to be in net. Centers Jake Leschyshyn and Paul Cotter and defenseman Ben Hutton were scratches last game for the Golden Knights.

DOING THE MOST

It's the centers that have done the most against the Pacific Division Knights - Nathan MacKinnon has 17 points (4G/13A) in 19 games played against the Golden Knights and J.T. Compher has nine points (4G, 5A) in 18 games played against Vegas.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Veterans Phil Kessel and Alex Pietrangelo are tied with 27 career points against Colorado. Kessel has tallied 13 goals and 14 assists in 30 outings and Pietrangelo has notched six goals and 21 assists in 50 appearances.

NUMBERS GAME

168
The number of career goals forward Mikko Rantanen now has after notching two in Wednesday's overtime loss to Winnipeg. Rantanen now sits in 10th place in franchise history on the all-time goals list (passing Alex Tanguay) and seventh since the team relocated to Denver. Matt Duchene sits in ninth place with 178.
10
The number of points Valeri Nichushkin has after last night's game against Seattle. His 10 points (5G/5A) this season leads the team and is tied with Connor McDavid for second in the league.
1x2
Defenseman Bowen Byram notched his first-ever career shorthanded goal and center Evan Rodrigues recorded his first goal with the Avs.

QUOTES THAT LEFT A MARK

"He's obviously off to a great start. He's so big and heavy on his stick that he wins a lot of puck battles, keeps plays alive and then kind of once he gets out of the corner and in open space, he has the ability and skill level to make those plays. He's been great so far and hopefully he continues." - Colorado forward Evan Rodrigues on teammate Valeri Nichushkin