COLORADO AVALANCHE (49-24-6) VS WINNIPEG JETS (49-24-6)
2:00 PM MDT | BALL ARENA | WATCH: ALTITUDE TV | LISTEN: 92.5 FM
Colorado will conclude its regular season-series against Winnipeg this Saturday at Ball Arena. The Avalanche are 10-4-1 in their last 15 matchups, and hold the best home record in the NHL at 30-8-1 this campaign. The Jets enter tonight on a five-game winning streak which comes on the heels of a six-game losing streak (Mar. 21 - Mar. 30). Both teams share identical records and point totals this season, each vying to secure home ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Latest Results:
April 9, 2024 COL: 5 MIN: 2
April 11, 2024 WPG: 3 DAL: 0
WILD NIGHT IN COLORADO
On Tuesday night at Ball Arena, Colorado defeated the Minnesota Wild, sweeping the season-series against them. This achievement marks the Avalanche's first four-game winning streak against the Wild since Jan. 6 - Oct. 4, 2018. Nathan MacKinnon picked up his third hat trick of the campaign, putting him in a five-way tie for the third-most in a season in franchise history. Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen both found the back of the net to propel Colorado past Minnesota in their final game of 2023-24.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Nathan MacKinnon registered his seventh career hat trick, tied with Mikko Rantanen, Peter Forsberg and Owen Nolan for the fourth-most in franchise history.
The four-point night increased MacKinnon’s season total to 137 (51g/86a). Two shy of the Avalanche/Nordiques single-season point record held by Peter Stastny in 1981-82.
Cale Makar recorded three points (1g/2a) on Tuesday, breaking his own franchise record for most in a season by a defenseman with 87 (20g/67a).
Makar is the first blueliner in Avalanche/Nordiques history to achieve multiple 20-goal seasons. Among active NHL blueliners only Brent Burns (3; 2013-14, 2015-17) and Erik Karlsson (3; 2013-15, 2022-23) have accomplished that feat.
Jonathan Drouin picked up three assists against the Wild, setting new single-season career-highs in assists (37) and points (56). He has also set new records in multi-assist games (6) and multi-point games (15) this campaign.
HISTORY
The Avalanche/Nordiques own an all-time record of 28-23-1-6 versus the Jets/Thrashers. At home, the franchise has a 17-8-0-4 tally against them. This upcoming matchup will be the third time the teams meet this regular season, with the Jets having won the first two games (Dec. 7, 2023; Dec. 16, 2023). Over its past ten encounters against Winnipeg, Colorado is 5-4-1. That includes a three-game win streak from Jan 6, 2022 - Apr. 8, 2022.
WIN FOR WINNIPEG
On Thursday at American Airlines Center, the Jets shutout the Dallas Stars, 3-0. Winnipeg gave Connor Hellebuyck the night off and still secured the shutout with Laurent Brossoit stopping all 24 shots. Nikolaj Ehlers opened up the scoring in the first period. David Gustafsson extended the Jets lead to conclude the middle frame. Mark Scheifele secured the win with an empty-net goal in the final period. With the victory, Winnipeg enters Saturday tied with Colorado for second place in the Central Division while holding the tiebreaker.
STATS TO KNOW
Jonathan Drouin is three goals short of surpassing his career-high of 21 goals, established during the 2016-17 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Devon Toews is one point away from matching his total of 50 points from the 2022-23 season with Colorado.
Since joining the Avalanche, Casey Mittelstadt has registered nine points (4g/5a) in nine games, bringing his season point total to 56. He is four shy of breaking his career-high, set in 2022-23 with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Avalanche/Nordiques have scored 166 goals against the Jets/Thrashers all-time. This equates to 2.86 goals per game.
WINNIPEG WONDERS
Connor Hellebuyck ranks second among all netminders in save percentage this season with .920.
The goaltender also ranks fourth in goals against average (2.42) and is tied for seventh in shutouts (4).
Josh Morrissey ranks among the top 10 of blueliners in points (8th) and assists (T-7th) this campaign. He has accumulated 64 points (9g/55a) in 79 games.
Mark Scheifele is Winnipeg’s top point-scorer of 2023-24, registering 70 (25g/45a) in 72 games.
NUMBERS GAME
234
Colorado's defensemen have amassed a total of 234 points this season, setting a single-season franchise record. The Avs’ blueliners have collectively scored 60 goals this season, just two short of the franchise record set in 2021-22.
38th
Devon Toews notched his 38th multi-point game since joining the Avalanche, tying him for the seventh-most by a defenseman in franchise history. Toews surpassed Rob Blake to rank ninth in the franchise for most assists by a blueliner, totaling 147.
50
MacKinnon became the sixth player in franchise history (10th instance) and fourth since relocation (fifth instance) to record a 50-goal campaign. His current 51-goal mark this season is tied for eighth in Avalanche/Nordiques history
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“That was pretty much as dominant a performance you can have, in my books. We didn’t talk about offense over the last couple days so when I was watching Nate play, I was watching at how dialed in he was going to be on the defensive side of it, and he was dialed in.”
- Colorado Head Coach Jared Bednar On Colorado C Nathan MacKinnon
