Avs Visit Blues in Saturday Matinee

The Colorado Avalanche faces off against the St. Louis Blues in a matinee matchup on Saturday. It is the second contest of a three-game set between the clubs and the third of four straight at Enterprise Center for the Avs.
Following a week-long pause due to the league's COVID-19 protocols, the Avalanche (31-9-4) returned to play with a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday to secure its fourth consecutive berth to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Andre Burakovsky tallied twice for his second two-goal game of the campaign and potted the game-winning marker for the second time this year.
Nathan MacKinnon notched three assists for his sixth three-point outing on the season and extended his point streak to 12 games, the longest active streak in the NHL. Brandon Saad scored for the third straight matchup and Tyson Jost lengthened his point and assist streak to a career-best five games. Gabriel Landeskog registered a multi-point night with two assists, while goaltender Devan Dubnyk collected his second consecutive win, stopping 25-of-27 shots.

For the Blues (19-19-6), Jaden Schwartz scored the two goals and Tyler Bozak recorded an assist on each of the markers, stretching his point streak to five games, as the club dropped its third consecutive contest. Vince Dunn and Vladimir Tarasenko each added an assist as well, while netminder Jordan Binnington made 25 saves.
Saturday's matchup is the Avs' seventh and final scheduled day game of the season and the club holds a 4-1-1 record in such contests thus far.

Avalanche at St. Louis Blues

Enterprise Center | St. Louis, Mo.
| Game Time: | 1:00 p.m. MT | | --- | --- | | TV: | NBC | | Radio: | Altitude Sports Radio, FM 92.5 (KKSE) | | Live Streams: | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, Official app (blackouts apply to all) | | Online Audio: | Listen Live Here | | Follow: | @Avalanche, Official app, Gamecenter |

COLORADO-ST. LOUIS CONNECTIONS

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was drafted No. 1 overall by St. Louis and played for Blues from 2007-2011… Colorado forward Carl Soderberg was drafted in the second round by the Blues in 2004… Avs assistant coach Ray Bennett spent 10 seasons on the Blues' coaching staff (2007-2017)… Jared Bednar was the head coach of St. Louis' then-American Hockey League affiliate in Peoria for two seasons (2010-2012)... Blues center Ryan O'Reilly was the Avs' second-round selection (No. 33 overall) in 2009 and began his career in Colorado… St. Louis forward Jaden Schwartz played two seasons at Colorado College (2010-2012) and teammate Tyler Bozak skated at the University of Denver for two years (2007-2009)… Blues assistant coach Jim Montgomery spent five seasons as the University of Denver head coach (2013-2018).

HISTORY

After Thursday's meeting, Colorado sports a 5-1-0 record this year and has won five straight contests against the Blues, including the two matchups at Enterprise Center. All time, the Avalanche owns a 68-64-18 mark versus St. Louis, with a 3-5-2 record in its last 10 when visiting the Blues. The squads will finish their regular-season series on Monday at Enterprise Center.
The Avs have outscored St. Louis 22-12 through the first six meetings, averaging 3.67 goals for per game and allowing an average of 2.00 tallies per contest. On the man advantage, Colorado has notched a power-play marker in five of the six matchups and has totaled 10 goals with the extra man, converting on 34.5 percent of its opportunities. The club's 34.5 power-play percentage and 10 tallies on the man advantage are each the highest the Avalanche has against any opponent this campaign.

ROSTER REPORT

The Avs practiced on Friday but head coach Jared Bednar did not reveal any lineup changes, so its roster for Saturday's matchup will likely be unknown until game time. Martin Kaut suited up in his second contest for the Avs this season and joined Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Liam O'Brien on the fourth line. Andre Burakovsky was moved up to the first line with MacKinnon and Landeskog, while J.T. Compher played on the right side of Nazem Kadri and Carl Soderberg. Patrik Nemeth also skated in his first game since being acquired on April 9, pairing up with Conor Timmins.

INJURY UPDATE

Bowen Byram, Mikko Rantanen, Joonas Donskoi and Philipp Grubauer are all out with COVID protocol related absenses. Rantanen could be available later on the trip as the forward was put on the protocol list due to contact tracing, as could Logan O'Connor who is recovering from a lower-body injury. Matt Calvert is out week-to-week with an upper body injury. Pavel Francouz is out the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury and Erik Johnson (upper body) could return later in the playoffs.

SCOUTING THE BLUES

In 73 all-time games on home ice against the Avalanche, the Blues possess a 44-23-6 record. In the last 10 contests of the series at Enterprise Center, the squad sports a 7-3-0 mark despite losing the last two contests.
Overall, St. Louis holds the fifth spot in the West Division with 44 points (19-19-6) and is one point behind the Arizona Coyotes (45) for the last playoff spot in the division. At home, the squad owns a 7-11-4 mark and has lost two consecutive contests on home ice and three straight overall (0-3-0). David Perron (13 goals, 29 assists), Ryan O'Reilly (17 goals, 22 assists) and Brayden Schenn (12 goals, 16 assists) have led the way offensively for the club, while Perron ranks first in power-play scoring and goals with five tallies and 11 helpers on the man advantage.

(OPPOSING) PLAYER TO WATCH: VLADIMIR TARASENKO

Although Vladimir Tarasenko has dealt with injuries over the past two seasons, the forward still knows how to produce on the offensive as he has registered three goals and nine assists in 20 games this season. When facing the Avs, Tarasenko ranks fifth on the Blues with three assists in four matchups this campaign.
The 2019 Stanley Cup Champion is in his ninth NHL season--all with St. Louis--and has compiled 440 points (217 goals, 223 assists) in 527 contests. The highly touted goal scorer has collected the most goals and points in a Blues sweater since entering the league in 2012-13, while recording the highest totals in both of those categories on the man advantage, tallying 57 markers and 121 points on the power play. Tarasenko eclipsed the 30-goal mark in five straight seasons (2014-15 to 2018-19) and reached the 40-goal threshold in 2015-16. In 35 meetings with Colorado all time, the forward has collected 12 goals and 16 assists, leading the Blues in goals, assists and points (28) since joining the club.

NUMBERS GAME

4

Colorado clinched a playoff berth for the fourth consecutive season on Thursday, the third-longest postseason stretch in franchise history. The Nordiques/Avalanche made 11 straight trips to the playoffs from 1994-95 to 2005-06 and Quebec made seven straight from 1980-87. The club became the second team in the league this season to earn a spot in the 2021 playoffs, joining the Vegas Golden Knights.

31x52

The Avalanche has allowed just 31 goals against at even strength on the road so far this campaign and 52 tallies overall away from home. The club ranks first in the NHL in goals against at even strength and second in total goals allowed on the road and has held its opponents to two goals or less in 12 of its away matchups this year, including two shutouts.

360

Jared Bednar passed Bob Hartley for the most games coached in Avalanche history (since 1995-96) after being behind the bench for the 360th contest with Colorado. Bednar also joined Hartley (1999-2002) as the only coaches to lead the Avs to four consecutive postseason appearances since the franchise moved to Denver.

NOTEBOOK

The Avs are 13-5-2 (.700) on the road this season, the best away points percentage in the NHL. Colorado's 2.60 average goals against away from home is tied for sixth in the league, while its 3.30 average goals for on the road is tied for third. The squad has won a season-best four straight contests away from home and has earned victories in five of the last six… Goalie Devan Dubnyk has earned victories in each of his two starts with Colorado this season with both of those contests coming against the Blues, boasting a 2-0-0 record, .916 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average… Nathan MacKinnon's 56 points (17 goals, 39 assists) rank seventh in the league and his 39 helpers are the fifth most in the NHL. His 12-game point streak marks the fourth time he has recorded a streak of 12 or more contests, as he had point streaks of 14 games in 2017-18 and 13 games in both 2013-14 and 2019-20. MacKinnon joins Peter Stastny (eight times) and Joe Sakic (five times) as the only three players in franchise history who have recorded four point streaks of 12-plus games… The Avalanche's 31 wins this year are tied for the second most in the league with the Carolina Hurricanes and its .750-win percentage tops the NHL… Patrik Nemeth made his season debut with Colorado on Thursday, becoming the 15th different defenseman to play for the Avalanche in 2020-21. The only season in franchise history to feature more was 2010-11, when 16 defensemen dressed in a game for the club. This year ties the 1982-83, 1989-90 and 1993-94 Nordiques for the second most with 15… Nathan MacKinnon leads the league with a plus-28 rating this campaign and Devon Toews is tied for second in the NHL with a plus-25 rating.