New York Islanders (0-1-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (0-2-0)
7 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude TV | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
The Avalanche will look to pick up their first win of the season when they host the New York Islanders. This is the second-straight game the Avalanche will face a Metropolitan Division team and the second of three-straight games against an Eastern Conference opponent. This will be the first of the Avalanche’s two meetings with the Islanders, as the teams will meet in Elmont, New York, on January 28, 2025.
Latest Result (COL): October 12, 2024: CBJ 6, COL 4
Latest Result (NYI): October 12, 2024: NYI 0, DAL 3
Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets 10.12.24 Recap
The Avalanche dropped their home opener 6-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. The Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead before Nathan MacKinnon scored his first goal of the season on the power play late in the first period. After Columbus doubled its lead early in the second period, Miles Wood and Casey Mittelstadt scored to tie the game. Following a pair of Blue Jackets goals, Ross Colton scored his first goal of the season late in the third period before Sean Monahan scored an empty-net goal.
Avs Accomplishments
With the primary assist on MacKinnon’s goal on Saturday, rookie forward Ivan Ivan recorded his first-career NHL point.
If he takes the ice for Monday’s game, former Islander Devon Toews will appear in his 400th NHL game. In 399 games, he’s posted 235 points (52g/183a), including 46 points (11g/35a) in 116 games with the Islanders.
History
In 42 matchups against the Islanders, the Avalanche are 23-15-4 including three-straight wins. Last season, the Avalanche won 5-4 in overtime at Ball Arena and 7-4 at UBS Arena.
Shutout in Dallas
On Saturday, the Islanders lost 3-0 to the Dallas Stars, who received a pair of goals from Tyler Seguin and another goal from Jamie Benn. Seguin opened the scoring at 7:59 of the first period before Benn doubled Dallas’ lead at 10:58 of the second period. At 18:57 of the third period, Seguin scored his second of the game with an empty-net goal. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger posted a 34-save shutout in the win.
Welcoming a Familiar Face
The Avalanche are familiar with Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, whose No. 33 hangs in the rafters at Ball Arena. Roy spent eight years of his Hall of Fame goaltending career in Colorado, posting a regular-season record of 262-140-65 along with a .918 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average. With the Avalanche, Roy won two Stanley Cups (1996, 2001) and a Conn Smythe Trophy (2001). Additionally, he served as Colorado’s head coach for three seasons.
Stats To Know
MacKinnon has posted 24 points (10g/14) in 19-career games against the Islanders, including four points (2g/2a) in two games in 2023-24.
Cale Makar has recorded 14 points (3g/8a) in eight games against the Islanders. In 2023-24, he posted six points (1g/5a) in a pair of contests.
The Avalanche are tied for the fifth-highest scoring team in the NHL, scoring 4.00 goals per game.
Islanders by the Numbers
Anthony Duclair (1g/1a) and Noah Dobson (0g/2a) are tied for the team lead in points with two while Duclair, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bo Horvat, and Maxim Tsyplakov are in a four-way tie for the team lead in goals with one each.
Semyon Varlamov has started both games for the Islanders in net, posting a .865 save percentage and a 3.52 goals-against average.
Numbers Game
2
Casey Mittelstadt enters Monday’s contest two points shy of 200 for his career. In 359-career games, he’s posted 68 goals and 130 assists. Mittelstadt is currently second on the team in goals with two.
9
Mikko Rantanen is tied for ninth in the NHL with two even-strength goals. Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Rantanen is fifth in the league with 92 even-strength goals.
42.9
At 42.9%, the Avalanche’s power play is in a four-way tie for first in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“There’s a sense of urgency which I like. I don’t think it hurts you to kind of get driven into the guts of your game right away. That's not a bad thing.”
- Jared Bednar on the team’s 0-2 start
