COLORADO AVALANCHE (21-11-3) AT ST. LOUIS BLUES (18-15-1)
6:00 PM MDT | ENTERPRISE CENTER | WATCH: ALTITUDE 2 | LISTEN: 950 AM
The Avalanche continue their season series with the Blues at the Enterprise Center on Friday night. St. Louis has won three-straight coming into tonight, while the Avs have won five of their past eight contests. This will be the third matchup between the two teams this season, with the series finale scheduled for March 19 at the Enterprise Center.
Latest Results:
December 27, 2023 ARI: 5 COL: 4 (OT)
December 27, 2023 STL: 2 DAL: 1
DOWN IN THE DESERT
The Colorado Avalanche were defeated by the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 in overtime on Wednesday Night at Mullett Arena. This was the second game between the two teams in five days, with the Avs getting the best of the Coyotes 4-1 on December 23. Colorado is now 12-3-4 in their past nineteen matchups against the Yotes, outscoring them 69-47.
AVALANCHE vs COYOTES 12.27.2023 RECAP
Mikko Rantanen opened the scoring with a tally on the power play, when Nathan MacKinnon gave him a cross-ice pass that he one-timed into the top half of the net. Jonathan Drouin tapped in a rebound off his own shot to give the Avs a 2-0 lead. The Avs extended their lead to three goals when Logan O’Connor snuck a wraparound attempt past Karel Vejmelka. MacKinnon blasted a one timer past Vejmelka on a 5-on-3 power play to take a commanding 4-0 lead. The Coyotes would go on to tally four-straight goals in regulation to force the game into overtime. Lawson Crouse, Michael Kesselring, Jason Zucker and Sean Durzi each scored for the Coyotes. With 20 seconds left in the overtime session, Jack McBain deflected a puck into the back of the net to give the Coyotes the win.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
MacKinnon collected a goal and assist Wednesday night to extend his career-long point streak to 19 games (13g/23a). The run is tied for the third-longest point streak in franchise history (Peter Stastny Nov. 29, 1983 - Jan. 14, 1984). The 19 games is the longest NHL point streak this season.
The centerman’s point streak is the fifth-longest among all active skaters recorded (Patrick Kane in 2015-16 -26 games, Sidney Crosby in 2010-11 -25 games, Mitch Marner in 2022-23 -23 games and Kane again in 2018-19 – 20 games are the only longer streaks).
Rantanen tallied a goal and assist against the Yotes and now has 13 points (6g/7a) in his past eight games. He ranks ninth for the most points in the NHL this season with 44.
Cale Makar registered two assists against Arizona, the first was his 40th point of the season. He is the first defenseman in franchise history to clear the 40-point threshold within his first 30 games of a season.
Ross Colton recorded an assist on Drouin’s goal, it was his 100th career point (55g/45a).
HISTORY
The Avalanche/Nordiques own a 74-69-11-7 all-time record against the Blues. Colorado is 3-0-0 in their past three trips to St. Louis. The season series is split at one apiece with the Avs taking the first contest 4-1 at Ball Arena on November 1. St. Louis got their revenge with a 8-2 victory at Ball Arena 10 days later.
DUELING IN DALLAS
The St. Louis Blues won 2-1 against the Dallas Stars Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center. With just under two minutes in the opening frame, Jake Neighbours fired a slap shot through a screen and past Scott Wedgewood to give the Blues the opening lead. Marco Scandella walked in from the blueline and snapped a shot just above Wedgwood’s glove to double the lead for the Blues in the second period. Jason Robertson tallied the lone goal for the Stars on a breakaway burying a puck just over Joel Hofer’s blocker. Hofer made a career-high 39 saves in the win. The Blues are 5-1-0 since they relieved Craig Berube of his duties and promoted Drew Bannister to Interim Head Coach.
STATS TO KNOW
Makar (0g/3a), Rantanen (2g/1a) and MacKinnon pace the Avalanche with three points each in the first two matchups against the Blues this campaign, while Rantanen leads the team in goals against St. Louis.
Rantanen has tallied 15 goals in his career against the Blues. Those 15 goals are tied for the second-most goals he has recorded against any franchise (Ducks and Sharks).
MacKinnon has recorded 49 points (17g/32a) against St. Louis in his career, he has only recorded more against the Wild (17g/33a).
ST. LOUIS SUPERSTARS
Robert Thomas leads all Blues skaters in points (37) and goals (13) this campaign.
Jordan Kyrou has eight points (4g/4a) in the six games that has been played since the coaching change.
The Blues are 15-1-0 when scoring first and 15-2-1 when holding the opposition to three or fewer goals.
NUMBERS GAME
37
MacKinnon leads all NHL skaters with 37 assists this season.
21
Rantanen is tied for the fourth-most power-play points among all NHL skaters this campaign with 21 (7g/14a).
128
Colorado ranks second in the NHL with 128 goals scored this season, only Vancouver has tallied more with 136.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“We don’t necessarily need to change our game when we have a four to nothing lead. We need to play the same way we’ve been playing. Obviously, you want to be a little bit more safe with the puck at times and in tough areas. We kind of have a tendency to change how we play when we have a lead in the third period.
- Colorado D Devon Toews on the teams self-awareness
