COLORADO AVALANCHE (6-1-0) AT BUFFALO SABRES (3-5-0)
11:00 AM MDT | KEYBANK CENTER |WATCH: ALTITUDE 2| LISTEN: 92.5 FM
The Colorado Avalanche face off with the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday afternoon, concluding the team’s three-game road trip out East. The contest is the sixth home game of the season for the Sabres, including their fourth in their last six games. Sunday also marks Colorado’s first matinee of 2023-24.
Latest Results:
October 26, 2023 PIT: 4 COL: 0
October 27, 2023 NJD: 5 BUF: 4
BLANKED BY THE PENGUINS
Colorado played its second contest of a three-game road trip Thursday night against the Penguins and were shutout 4-0. Colorado is now 21-21-5-3 all-time on the road against Pittsburgh in franchise history. This was the Avs first loss of the season, and the end of the Colorado’s NHL-record 15-game road winning streak. The Avalanche had not lost on the road since March 4,2023 against the Dallas Stars, passing the Buffalo Sabres (14 straight from April 3-November 13,2006) for the longest road winning streak (spanning multiple seasons or otherwise) in league history. The 6-0-0 start will stand as tied for the best start to a season since the team relocated to Denver.
AVALANCHE vs PENGUINS 10.26.2023 RECAP
Pittsburgh kicked off the scoring in the first period with two goals from Reilly Smith, which were his third and fourth of the season. Lars Eller tallied his first goal of the season, six minutes into the middle frame. Sidney Crosby concluded the scoring with a tally in the third period and has recorded 19 points in 20 career games against the Avs, Colorado is tied with the Sharks for the fifth lowest career points allowed to Crosby. Tristan Jarry stopped all 31 shots en route to his second career win and first career shutout against the Avalanche. Ivan Prosvetov played for the first time in the third period since being claimed off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes on October 9.
Alexandar Georgiev had won 12 straight road starts since March 13, tied for the longest streak in NHL history with Eddie Johnston (Feb.14-Dec.8,1971, with the Boston Bruins).
HISTORY
Colorado has a 68-61-20-2 all-time record against the Sabres, with a 28-37-9-1 mark on the road. In last season’s meetings, the Avalanche went 1-1-0 against the Sabres, with Colorado winning the lone away game 6-4. The Avs lost the only home game at Ball Arena 4-2. Colorado has won its past five road contests against the Sabres, outscoring them 28-13. Since the 2010-11 season Colorado is 16-4-0 against the Sabres. Sundays outing is the first of two games scheduled between the two teams this season. They’ll play again in Denver on December 13 at Ball Arena.
DANCING WITH THE DEVILS
The Sabres were defeated by the Devils 5-4 on Friday night at the Prudential Center. J.J Peterka tallied his third of the season to kick off the scoring in the first period. After, the Devils equalized the game when Tage Thompson regained the lead for the Sabres with his fourth goal of the campaign. New Jersey struck twice taking the lead in the second period with a goal from Erik Haula. Rasmus Dahlin responded, registering his first of the season. Jack Hughes notched his fifth goal and 18th point of the season two minutes and nine seconds into the third period. Dylan Cozens evened up the game with a tally in the third period with 12:35 remaining. Erik Haula potted his second of the game and the game-winner, 14:17 into the third period.
PROJECTED LINES
The team practiced Saturday in Buffalo. Below are the line combinations and defensive pairings the Avalanche deployed.
Forwards
Lehkonen – MacKinnon – Nichushkin
Tatar – Johansen – Rantanen
Wood – Colton – Drouin
Cogliano – Olofsson – O'Connor
Defenseman
Toews – Makar
Girard – Byram
Johnson - Manson
Goaltenders
Georgiev
Prosvetov
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FACTS TO KNOW
Nathan MacKinnon (2g/3a) paced Colorado with five points against the Sabres last season, while only playing in one game.
Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon led the way for the Avs with two goals apiece last season against the Buffalo.
Alexandar Georgiev started in both games last season against the Sabres. Sunday will be his 10th career start against Buffalo, entering with a 5-3-0 record.
SCOUTING THE ENEMY
Tage Thompson leads all active Sabres skaters with 8 points (5g/3a) in four career games played against the Avalanche. He paced the Sabres with five points last season against the Avs.
Dylan Cozens, Alex Tuch, and Tage Thompson paced the Sabres with two goals apiece against Colorado last season.
Erik Johnson will play in his first game against the Avs since his departure this Summer.
NUMBERS GAME
21
Nathan MacKinnon’s leads all active Avalanche skaters with 21 points (9g/12a) against the Sabres in 14 games.
9
Miles Wood has registered nine career goals against the Sabres, the most against any franchise in his career.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“We did not simplify our game and the turnovers cost us, I just went through the scoring chances against and I believe we had 10 off turnovers and three goals against off turnovers. We put ourselves in a hole early, and they started feeling it and we did not simplify our game until the third period, which we needed to do from the start.”
- Colorado Head Coach Jared Bednar on the loss to the Penguins
