Winnipeg Jets (26-10-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (22-15-0)
6 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
For the first time this season, the Avalanche welcome their division rivals, the Winnipeg Jets, to Ball Arena. This is the second meeting between the teams this season, as the Jets beat the Avs 1-0 on November 7 in Winnipeg.
Latest Result (COL): COL 4, UTA 1
Latest Result (WPG): NSH 0, WPG 3
A Finnish Scoring Fest
The Avalanche beat the Utah Hockey Club 4-1 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday. Artturi Lehkonen scored his first-career hat trick and Mikko Rantanen became the first Av this season to reach 20 goals. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood made 34 saves on 35 shots. After a scoreless first period, Lehkonen posted his 11th of the season to open the scoring at 11:52 with a shot from the slot. Utah tied the game at 3:42 of the third period on the power play via a Nick Schmaltz deflection. At 14:44, Lehkonen gave the Avs the lead with his 12th of the year via a shot from the doorstep. The Burgundy and Blue took a 3-1 lead when Rantanen scored an empty-net goal at 18:10, and Lehkonen completed his hat trick with an empty-net tally at 19:34.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
Nathan MacKinnon became the first player to reach 60 points this season and leads the league in assists (46).
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in points (45) while being tied for first among that group in goals (11) and assists (34). Among all NHL skaters, he’s tied for sixth in assists.
Moose Crossing
Mikko Rantanen is fourth in the NHL in points (53) while tied for eighth in both goals (20) and assists (33).
History
In 60 regular-season games against the Jets, the Avalanche are 28-25-7 in addition to 4-1 in the playoffs following their First-Round victory in 2024.
A Shutout Against Nashville
The Jets beat the Nashville Predators 3-0 at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Monday. After a scoreless first period, Dylan DeMelo opened the scoring at 17:18 of the second frame. In the third period, Gabriel Vilardi posted two power-play goals at 13:44 and 14:46 to seal Winnipeg’s 3-0 victory.
Winnipeg’s Top Scorers
Kyle Connor leads Winnipeg in points (51), is tied for first in goals (22) and second in assists (29).
Mark Scheifele is second on the team in points (44), tied for first in goals (22) and third in assists (22).
Gabriel Vilardi is third in goals (17), tied for third in points (34) and sixth in assists (17).
A Numbers Game
142
MacKinnon’s 142 points (46g/96a) in the 2024 calendar year are the most in the NHL.
94
Makar’s 94 points and 24 goals are the most among NHL defensemen in the 2024 calendar year.
9
The Avalanche’s nine wins in December are tied for the second most in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“We’re getting more consistent, more dialed in, more committed to the way we need to play all the time.”
-- Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on the team’s recent stretch of play
