COLORADO AVALANCHE (33-17-4) VS TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (29-20-5)
5:00 PM MDT | AMALIE ARENA | WATCH: ALTITUDE TV | LISTEN: 92.5 FM
The Avalanche will conclude their season series against the Lightning at Amalie Arena this Thursday night. Tampa Bay returns to home ice for the first time since the All-Star break, bringing a recent record of 2-2-0 from their last four games. Colorado, coming off a 6-3 victory in Washington on Tuesday night, currently boasts a road record of 13-12-4 this season.
Latest Results:
February 15, 2024 COL: 6 WSH: 3
February 15, 2024 TBL: 3 BOS: 2 (SO)
WIN IN WASHINGTON
On Saturday night at Capital One Arena, Colorado emerged victorious in the season-series finale against Washington 6-3. The Avalanche swept Washington this campaign, posting a 2-0-0 record against them. Colorado has won four straight games against Washington, tying the second-longest winning streak over the Capitals (Dec. 11, 2010 - Nov. 10, 2023) in Avalanche/Nordiques history.
COLORADO AVALANCHE vs WASHINGTON CAPITALS 2.13.2024 RECAP
Ross Colton and Devon Toews initiated the scoring in the opening period, each netting a snapshot within the first five minutes. Beck Malenstyn put Washington on the board, followed by Connor McMichael tying the score at 2-2 just 44 seconds later. Artturi Lehkonen kicked off the second period’s scoring, sliding one behind Charlie Lindgren. A power-play goal from Mikko Rantenen widened the gap and put the Capitals in a two-goal deficit. In the final frame, Alexander Ovechkin found the back of the net with a one-timer from the top of the circle. The game concluded with a pair of empty-net goals from Miles Wood and Lehkonen in the last 59 seconds, resulting in a 6-3 outcome in favor of the Avalanche.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Artturi Lehkonen matched his career-best performance with four points (2g/2a) on Tuesday, equaling his previous high from October 21, 2023 against Carolina. This marked his second multi-point game of the season and his first following the return from his injury.
Lehkonen joins the ranks as the third Avalanche player to achieve multiple four-point games this season, alongside Nathan MacKinnon (4x) and Rantanen (3x).
Rantanen was credited with the game-winning goal against Washington, the 38th of his career. This milestone ties him with Peter Forsberg for the seventh-most in the history of the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise.
Ross Colton has equaled his career-best of 17 assists this season, a record he initially set during the 2021-22 with Tampa Bay.
Bowen Byram also tied his career-high with two assists on Tuesday, replicating his performance from April 13, 2022, against Los Angeles.
HISTORY
The Avalanche have posted a 26-19-3-4 all-time record against the Lightning, with a 10-13-1-1 clip on the road. In their most recent six encounters with Tampa Bay, Colorado has posted a 3-3-0 record. In their last matchup, the Avs took home the win on Nov. 27, 4-1.
BRUINS BEAT DOWN
Tampa Bay secured a 3-2 shootout victory over Boston on Tuesday night at TD Garden. The scoring opened in the first period with Erik Cernak netting a goal that narrowly crossed the goal line past Linus Ullmark. Nikita Kucherov extended the lead in the second period with a top-shelf goal. Charlie McAvoy and James van Riemsdyk brought the game to a 2-2 tie, contributing goals of their own. Following a scoreless third period and overtime, the contest moved into a shootout. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped every shootout attempt from the Bruins and Brayden Point secured the win for Tampa Bay with a successful deke past Ullmark.
STATS TO KNOW
MacKinnon has recorded at least one point in 15 of his 18 career games against the Lightning, accumulating a total of 27 points (11g/16a) in those contests.
Ryan Johansen netted a pair of goals in his most recent matchup with Tampa Bay on November 27, marking his second multi-goal performance of the season. The first came against the Islanders on October 24.
Colton, who began his NHL career with the Lightning during the 2020-21 season, has spent his entire professional hockey journey with the organization until being traded to the Avalanche this season. This evening marks his first appearance at Amalie Arena as a visiting player.
TAMPA TRIUMPHS
Nikita Kucherov currently leads the league in points and assists, accumulating 90 points (34g/56a) in 53 games.
After securing a goal on Tuesday, Kucherov became the second active player to achieve 90 points in 53 or fewer games in a season, a feat first accomplished by Connor McDavid.
Victor Hedman ranks fourth in the league for points among defensemen, with a total of 52 (9g/43a) in 52 games. Among Lightning skaters this season, he trails Kucherov by 13 assists, securing his position as the team's second-highest assist provider.
Tampa Bay is ranked fourth in the NHL for goals for, with a total of 183 in 53 games, positioned 17 goals behind the Avalanche.
NUMBERS GAME
249
Rantenen’s goal on Tuesday was the 249th of his career, passing Gabriel Landeskog for the seventh-most in Avalanche/Nordiques history.
72
The Avalanche have tallied 72 third-period goals this season, tied for the highest total among NHL teams for the 2023-24 season (Dallas Stars - 72).
4:57
Colton and Toews scored the first two goals of the contest against the Capitals on Tuesday within the first 4:57 of the opening period, marking the quickest pair of goals the Avalanche have netted to start a game this campaign.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“It wasn’t the perfect game, but oftentimes when you’re coming out of not playing great, it isn’t. You just need a big effort. You need to pay attention to the right things and you’ve got to grind. You’ve got to work and grind. That’s what we did tonight.”
- Colorado Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on Tuesdays’s matchup against Washington
