BUFFALO SABRES (12-14-3) AT COLORADO AVALANCHE (17-9-2)
8:00 PM MDT | BALL ARENA | WATCH: ALTITUDE TV (Within ALT Market) or TNT (Outside ALT Market) | LISTEN: 92.5 FM
The Colorado Avalanche conclude their season series with the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. This will end a five-game homestand that will tie the longest homestand this campaign (March 22-March 30) for the Avs. The game will be the first of a three-game road trip for the Sabres after dropping five of their past seven contests.
Latest Results:
December 11, 2023 COL: 6 CGY: 5
December 11, 2023 BUF: 5 ARI: 2
CHAOS WITH CALGARY
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 6-5 Monday night at Ball Arena. The game was Colorado’s ninth comeback win (tied for the NHL lead) and first multi-goal third-period comeback win this season. The Avalanche are 8-1-2 in their last 11 games against Calgary.
AVALANCHE vs FLAMES 12.11.2023 RECAP
Nazem Kadri opened the scoring for Calgary, with his seventh tally of the season. Tomas Tatar answered for Colorado at the end of the opening frame, recording his first goal of 2023-24. The Avalanche connected on the power play in the middle frame when Cale Makar found the back of the net for the eight time this campaign to take a 2-1 lead. Calgary then struck twice to take a 3-2 lead with tallies from Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman. In his first game of the season, Ben Meyers evened the score at three, but Calgary grabbed the momentum after that.The Flames then struck twice in 2:15 at the end of the middle frame to take a 5-3 lead when Connor Zary and Yegor Sharangovich lit the lamp. The Avs erupted in the third period with three straight goals from Ross Colton, Mikko Rantanen (his team-leading 13th goal) and the game-winner from Nathan MacKinnon. Ivan Prosvetov came in of relief for Alexandar Georgiev at the start of the third period and stopped all 11 shots he faced.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
MacKinnon extended his point streak to 12 games (6g/13a) when he registered one goal and one assist. The centerman also extended his season-opening home point streak to 14 games.
Makar’s 73rd career tally put him in sole possession of the second-most franchise goals by a defenseman, passing Sandis Ozolinsh (72).
HISTORY
The Avalanche/Nordiques own a 68-62-20-2 all-time record against the Sabres, with a 40-24-11-1 mark at home. Colorado has recorded 158 points in the franchise’s history against the Sabres. This represents the second-most points the club has registered against any Eastern conference opponent (Carolina Hurricanes -184). Colorado is 8-2-0 in its last ten against Buffalo and 19-5-0 in the last 24 matchups.
CHASING DOWN THE COYOTES
The Buffalo Sabres won their first home contest since November 24 against the Arizona Coyotes, after dropping three games at home. The Sabres kicked off the scoring in the first period when Kyle Okposo lit the lamp. Michael Kesselring of the Coyotes leveled the game at one in the middle frame. Buffalo tallied three straight in the second period from Eric Robinson, Peyton Krebs and JJ Peterka to take a 4-1 lead going into the third period. Michael Carcone brought the Coyotes within two, before Rasmus Dahlin secured the game for Buffalo with an empty-net goal. Devon Levi stopped 21-of-23 shots en route to his fifth win of the season.
STATS TO KNOW
MacKinnon led Colorado with a game-high five points (2g/3a) against the Sabres last season in only one game. The five points were also a personal best scored against any opponent in a single contest.
MacKinnon tied Rantanen for the team lead in goals against Buffalo last season with two apiece.
Georgiev started in both contests last season against the Sabres, stopping 41-of-48 shots.
STEAMING SABRES
Alex Tuch has found the back of the net seven times against the Avalanche in his career. It is tied for the highest number of tallies Tuch has scored against any franchise (Ducks and Sharks).
Dahlin ranks tied for the fourth-most goals among defensemen in the NHL with six. The Swedish blueliner leads all Sabres skaters with 23 points (7g/16a) this campaign.
Erik Johnson makes his return to Ball Arena after spending 13 seasons with Colorado. The Stanley Cup Champion collected 246 points (68g/178a) in his time with the Avs, ranking second in games played among defensemen and fifth among blueliners in points and assists on the franchise list.
NUMBERS GAME
26
Nathan MacKinnon ranks first in the NHL for the most even-strength points with 27 (11g/15).
8
With Colton scoring Monday, the Avs are now 8-0-0 when he has scored.
8
Cale Makar is tied (Evan Bouchard) for the second-most goals among all NHL defensemen with eight.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“I think a lot of the stuff that has been going wrong is stuff that we can control. I think a lot of it is effort and sometimes we are pressing too much to score and taking our foot off the gas in the defensive zone. It should probably be the other way around. We should be content with winning the game 2-1. It was a great third period but we have to play like that for a full 60 minutes.”
- Colorado Center Ross Colton on the comeback against Calgary
