Global Series Game Preview: Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets

COLORADO AVALANCHE (5-4-1) VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (3-8-0)
12 PM MT | NOKIA ARENA WATCH: NHL NETWORK| ALTITUDELISTEN: 92.5FM/950 AM
The Colorado Avalanche take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second game of the 2022 NHL Global Series - Finland. Coverage begins at 12 P.M. MT on Altitude Sports and NHL Network at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.

The games are the second set of outings that are a part of the Global Series this season, the first coming when the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks opened the NHL season.

GLOBAL SERIES

The Avs-Blue Jackets two-game series marks the 37th and 38th contests outside of North America since 1997. The 38 regular-season games will have been played in six different countries and nine total cities across two continents. This weekend's matchup in Tampere, Finland, is the eighth and ninth NHL game to be held in Finland, with the previous seven in the country's capital, Helsinki.
AVALANCHE VS BLUE JACKETS
AVALANCHE ARTICLES
Sights and Sounds from the NHL Global Series Finland
An Opportunity Of A Lifetime
2022 NHL Global Series - Finland - Tracker
Rantanen and Lehkonen's Guide to Finland
GAME EXTRAS
Avalanche 360
Avalanche Tickets

HISTORY

The Avs have historically fared very well against the Blue Jackets, accumulating a 41-17-6 record all-time. The two teams have never played against each other in the postseason.

CONNECTIONS

Between the two teams there are four Finnish natives - Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen for Colorado and Patrik Laine and Joonas Korpisalo for Columbus. Laine was born in Tampere, Finland.
Goaltender coach for the Avs Jussi Parkkila is from Tampere and Colorado Eagles goalie Justus Annunen is from Kempele.

SCOUTING THE BLUE JACKETS

Gustav Nyquist is one point away from 100 (35-64-99) in his CBJ career, while Boone Jenner played in his 600th game with Columbus following Friday's game to break a tie with Nick Foligno to move into third all-time in CBJ history. With one more goal, Zach Werenski will tie Ryan Johansen for ninth in the CBJ annals with 79 tallies.
Surprise offseason addition Johnny Gaudreau leads the team in points (nine), notching five goals (first on the team) and four assists.
Rookie Kent Johnson is tied for third-highest points among first year players with six (three goals and three assists).

LINEUP UPDATES

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is sidelined after undergoing surgery. Veteran center Darren Helm is still sidelined after undergoing offseason surgery but has been skating.

DOING THE MOST

Longtime Av defenseman Erik Johnson leads the team in career points against Columbus with 22 (four goals and 18 assists) in 36 outings. Veteran center Andrew Cogliano is second on the team in career points against the Blue Jackets with 19 (10 goals and nine assists) in 46 appearances.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Right winger Jakub Voracek has notched 24 points (seven goals and 17 assists) in 30 contests against the Avalanche. Left winger Johnny Gaudreau is second with 18 points (eight goals and 10 assists) in 22 games against Colorado.

NUMBERS GAME

1 of 3
Rantanen (1.01 P/GP; 172-251-423 in 418 GP) is one of three Finnish-born players in NHL history to carry a career points per game average of 1.00 or higher (min. 100 GP). The others are Hockey Hall of Fame members Jari Kurri (1.12 P/GP; 601-797-1,398 in 1,251 GP) and Teemu Selanne (1.00 P/GP; 684-773-1,457 in 1,451 GP).
3rd-most
Colorado's two Finnish born players, Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen (254G, 333A - 587P) have the third-most goals and points by Finnish players on any active roster. The only clubs with more are Carolina (338G, 537A - 875P: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Sebastian Aho & Teuvo Teravainen) and Florida (254G, 392A - 646P:Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell & Eetu Luostarinen).
2nd
The Colorado Avalanche will become the second-ever defending Stanley Cup Champions to play in a regular-season contest outside North America (Anaheim Ducks played on Sept. 29-30, 2007 in London, England).

QUOTES THAT LEFT A MARK

"It gave me a little bit of chills" - Forward Mikko Rantanen on the crowd chanting his name
"It's an amazing feeling… I don't deny that this is my home city. I was raised and born here. It's emotional to be here." - Goalie coach Jussi Parkkila on his return to where it all started