Samuel Girard was part of the three-team trade with Nashville and Ottawa in November 2017… Avs assistant general manager Craig Billington played for the Senators for two seasons (1993-1995)… Cody Goloubef played 33 games with the Avs in the 2016-17 campaign… Ottawa head coach D.J. Smith played part of the 2002-03 season with the Avalanche.
HISTORY
The Avs own a 32-17-5 all-time franchise record against Ottawa and an 18-14-3 mark against the club since moving to Colorado in 1995. The Avalanche has edged out the Senators at home to earn an 11-5-2 record in Denver.
ROSTER REPORT
The Avalanche has recalled Jacob MacDonald from the Colorado Eagles Dec. 3. Justus Annunen was recalled from the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday, Dec. 1, and quickly joined the team on the road trip. Kurtis MacDermid has rejoined the starting lineup as a defenseman, his last appearance was at home against the Nashville Predators.
INJURY REPORT
Bowen Byram is out due to an upper-body injury. Darcy Kuemper is out due to an upper-body injury sustained in practice before Wednesday's game. Ryan Murray is out indefinitely after exiting the game on Nov. 27 against the Nashville Predators with a lower-body injury. J.T. Compher continues to be out for an upper-body injury. Stefan Matteau is still out after sustaining a lower-body injury on Oct. 16.
SCOUTING THE SENATORS
Finishing off two back-to-back games, the Senators maintain a 5-15-1 record. They are currently eighth in the Atlantic Division and are one point behind the Arizona Coyotes. Most recently, the Senators visited the Carolina Hurricanes, bringing home two points with a score of 3-2 on Wednesday. Ottawa will travel to face the Devils in New Jersey following their home matchup against Colorado.
(OPPOSING) PLAYER TO WATCH: Josh Norris
Leading the team second on the Senators roster in points, center Josh Norris has grabbed 15 points (nine goals and six assists) in 21 games for Ottawa. Norris was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks and in 2018 was traded to the Senators as part of a package for defenseman Erik Karlsson. Most recently, on Thursday night versus the Hurricanes, Norris helped lead the team to a win by breaking a tie 19 seconds after the Senators lost the lead in their 3-2 win.
NUMBERS GAME
21
This season, Nazem Kadri has 21 assists in 20 games.
800
Erik Johnson, the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, became the 39th American-born defenseman in NHL history to reach 800 games and the first defenseman from the 2006 draft class to reach that milestone.
10
Cale Makar is the first defenseman in the league to score 10 goals this season.
NOTEBOOK
The Colorado Avalanche continues its five-game road trip with a matchup against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday Dec. 4… There are nine more back-to-back sets on the 2021-2022 schedule, the next set is slated for late December. The Colorado Avalanche defensemen stay on top of the NHL with a combined 22 goals…
