Avalanche Faces Blues on Division Rival Night

The Colorado Avalanche continues the start of the 2021-22 regular season on Saturday at home against the St. Louis Blues.
The Avalanche and Blues last played in Round 1 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Colorado earned a 4-0 series win. Both teams competed in the West Division last season and they remain division opponents this year with both clubs moving back to the Central Division.
Saturday's matchup will be the first of two meetings between the squads this month, with the Avalanche traveling to St. Louis on Oct. 28. From there, they won't meet again until Apr. 26, the final week of the campaign when they finish their three-game, regular-season series in Denver.

Colorado secured a victory in its home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, while this matchup is the first of the year for St. Louis.
The Avalanche organization will honor the late Pierre Lacroix prior to the outing. Lacroix, who served as general manager from 1995- 2006, passed away on Dec. 13, 2020. The ceremony will feature a banner that highlights Lacroix's achievements being raised to the rafters, a tribute from Joe Sakic, and special guests in attendance will include Peter Forsberg, Ray Bourque, Milan Hejduk, Adam Foote and other Avalanche greats. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 5:45 p.m. as the ceremony is scheduled to begin at approximately 6 p.m.

Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues

Ball Arena | Denver, Colo.
| Game Time: | 7 p.m. (doors open at 5:00 p.m.) | | --- | --- | | TV: | Altitude, Bally Sports-Midwest (STL) - blackouts apply | | Radio: | Altitude Sports Radio, FM 92.5/AM 950 (KKSE) | | Live Streams: | AltitudeNow.com, Official app, ESPN+- blackouts apply | | Online Audio: | Listen Live Here | | Follow: | @Avalanche, Official app, Gamecenter | | Buy Tickets | Ball Arena Policies | | | Honoring Pierre Lacroix |

COLORADO-ST. LOUIS CONNECTIONS

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was drafted first overall by the Blues in 2006. He played in St. Louis from 2007-2011… 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 forward Brandon Saad played with Colorado in the 2020-21 season.. St. Louis center Ryan O'Reilly was taken by the Avs in the second round (No. 33 overall) in 2009 and began his career in Colorado… Blues assistant coach Jim Montgomery spent five seasons as head coach at the University of Denver (2013-2018).

HISTORY

The Avs own a 68-66-18 record over the Blues. Colorado and St. Louis faced off eight times in 2020-21 and the Avalanche finished with a 5-3-0 mark in the season series before sweeping the Blues in four games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The two teams continue their division rivalry this season with both clubs moving back to the Central Division. They will meet twice in October and once more in April, finishing out the three-game series in Denver on April 26.

ROSTER REPORT

Forwards Stefan Matteau and Dylan Sikura are expected to play after they were recalled from the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles on Friday after Colorado reassigned rookie Alex Newhook to the Eagles. Captain Gabriel Landeskog will not be available as he serves the first of a two-game suspension.

INJURY REPORT

Forwards Andre Burakovsky and Darren Helm did not practice on Friday after being "dinged up" in the season opener on Wednesday but both are probable against the Blues, while Valeri Nichushkin is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Center Nathan MacKinnon remains in COVID-19 protocol while head coach Jared Bednar returned to practice on Friday after missing the final two preseason games and the home opener due in protocol. Goaltender Pavel Francouz is out three-to-four weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in a preseason game on Oct. 5 versus the Vegas Golden Knights. Blueliner Devon Toews (upper body) remains a non-contact participant at practice and may go on Colorado's upcoming three-game road trip.

SCOUTING THE BLUES

The Blues maintained a 27-20-9 record last season, securing the final playoff position in the West Division. The Avs held a 5-3-0 record against St. Louis throughout the duration of the regular season in 2020-21.
St. Louis added forwards Brandon Saad, Pavel Buchnevich and James Neal over the offseason and rookie forwards Klim Kostin and Jake Neighbours made the team out of camp. Oskar Sundqvist begins the 2021-22 campaign on injured reserve.

(OPPOSING) PLAYER TO WATCH: David Perron

David Perron was the most productive member of the Blues last season, playing all 56 games and posting 58 points (19 goals, 39 assists), the first Blues player to post a point-per-game average for a season since Pavol Demitra (1.19 points per game in 2002-03). The 33-year-old left wing did not play in the first-round series against Colorado in the 2021 postseason as he was in the league's COVID protocol.

NUMBERS GAME

5:45

Puck drop for Saturday's division clash between the Avs and Blues is slated for 7 p.m. MT, but fans are asked to be in their seats by 5:45 p.m. for Lacroix's pregame ceremony. Doors at Ball Arena will open at 5 p.m.

4

The last time the Avalanche and the Blues matched up, Colorado secured a 5-2 victory to win the first round series against St. Louis 4-0, the franchise's third time to sweep a best-of-seven series.

28

Colorado and St. Louis will meet once more this month on Oct. 28. The clubs will then close out the season series on April 26 in Denver.

50

Right wing Mikko Rantanen needs one more power-play goal to reach 50 in his career. He finished the 2020-21 campaign with nine man-advantage markers.

NOTEBOOK

The Avs are beginning a season at home for the fourth straight year, the 13th time in the last 16 seasons and for the 15th time in the last 19… Jared Bednar is in his sixth season as Colorado's head coach. He has guided the Avalanche to four consecutive playoff appearances, including three straight trips to the second round ... Bednar holds a 185-149-39 (.548) record in his coaching tenure.