VANCOUVER CANUCKS (13-5-1) AT COLORADO AVALANCHE (11-6-0)
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The Colorado Avalanche begin their season series with the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night. It is the first matchup for the Avalanche this season with a team from North of the border. The two teams rank in the top five in the Western conference in points.
Latest Results:
November 20, 2023 NSH: 4 COL: 3
November 20, 2023 VAN: 3 SJS: 1
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Last week Cale Makar was awarded the NHL’s “First Star of the week” with eight points (1g/7a) in three games. With three assists against the Predators, Makar moved up the franchise’s all-time assist leaderboard by a blueliner passing Adam Foote for the third place with 204. Makar joined Roman Josi (three games played in 2021-22), Ray Bourque (three games played in 1993-94) and Paul Coffey (three games played in 1987-88) as the fourth defenseman in NHL history with three consecutive games with three or more assists.
Cogliano’s shorthanded goal was the 22nd of his career, which is the second most among active players behind Brad Marchand (33). The Avalanche have three players tied for the most shorthanded points in the NHL with three apiece (Coglinao, Logan O’Connor, Cale Makar).
Nathan MacKinnon recorded two assists, passing Michel Goulet for the fourth most in franchise history (491).
Valeri Nichushkin has tallied a goal in four-straight contests, tying his career high goal streak set last season (Oct.12-Oct.19, 2022).
HISTORY
Colorado has a 79-67-15-11 all-time record against Vancouver, with a 40-32-8-5 mark at home. The Avalanche have recorded 184 points all-time against the Canucks, tied for the most against any franchise (Carolina Hurricanes). In last season’s meetings, the Avalanche went 1-2-0 against Vancouver. Wednesday’s outing is the first of three games scheduled between the two teams in 2023-24. They’ll play again in Denver on February 20, with the final contest set for March 13, at Rogers Arena.
SINKING THE SHARKS
The Vancouver Canucks defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Monday night at home. Vancouver scored first with Quinn Hughes’s eighth of the season, in the second period. Sam Lafferty would add to the lead in the second period with a shorthanded tally. Tomas Hertl scored the lone goal for the Sharks in the third period. J.T. Miller tallied the final goal of the game in the third period to seal the victory for the Canucks. With an assist on the Miller goal, Hughes recorded his league-leading 30th point of the season.
STATS TO KNOW
Mikko Rantanen paced Colorado with five points (4g/1a) against the Canucks during the 2022-23 season.
Rantanen led the Avs in goals, picking up four tallies last year in the season series.
Alexandar Georgiev started in two games against the Canucks last season, stopping 67-of-71 shots and posted a .944 SV%.
CLEVER CANUCKS
Quinn Hughes leads all NHL skaters with 30 points (8g/22a). His teammates J.T. Miller (12g/17a) and Elias Pettersson (8g/20a) rank tied for second and fourth in points in the NHL.
Hughes became just the third defenseman in NHL history to record 30 points in a season in fewer than 20 games (19) alongside Bobby Orr (5X; last:14GP in 1974-75) and Al MacInnis (18 GP in 1990-91).
Brock Boeser paces the Canucks this season with 13 goals, tied for the third-most in the NHL.
The Canucks power play ranks third in the NHL at 31%.
NUMBERS GAME
1.60
Mikko Rantanen has recorded 24 points (12g/12a) against the Canucks in his career, in 15 games played. He has recorded a higher points-per game mark against the Canucks than any other franchise in his career, with 1.60 PPG.
27
Cale Makar is second among all defenseman (tied for sixth among all skaters) in the NHL with 27 points.
800
Tomas Tatar is expected to play in his 800th career game. He will be the 12th Slovakian born player to play 800 games in NHL history.
QUOTES THAT LEFT A MARK
“Our compete down to the final whistle just wasn’t quite there. We know our assignments on six on five, we’ve gone through it and that little desperation to finish the game and get the puck out just wasn’t there. We had a pretty good game for the most part, we just have to clean up a couple of things. A few mistakes hurt us, a couple missed assignments hurt us and sometimes you get away with those things and sometimes you don’t.”
- Colorado Defenseman Devon Toews on the loss to Nashville
