Colorado Avalanche (24-15-1) @ Chicago Blackhawks (13-25-2)
5:30 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude2, TNT, Max, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (950 AM)
The Avalanche kick off their first road trip of 2025 with a Central Division matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks. This is the second of four meetings between the teams, as the Blackhawks won 5-2 in Denver on October 28, and they’ll play in Denver on March 10 and in Chicago on April 2.
Latest Result (COL): FLA 1, COL 3
Latest Result (CHI): NYR 6, CHI 2
A Big Win at Ball Arena
The Avalanche beat the Florida Panthers 3-1 at Ball Arena on Monday. Devon Toews scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season and Mikko Rantanen extended his point streak to 14 games with his 24th goal of the season. In net, Mackenzie Blackwood was outstanding for Colorado, making 26 saves across from two-time Vezina Trophy-winner Sergei Bobrovsky. Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring at 15:57 of the first with a right-circle one-timer off a feed from Anton Lundell. At 18:18 of the second, Toews tied the game with a wrist shot from the point that hit the crossbar, bounced in the crease, and then took a bounce off Bobrovsky and in. With his second of the game, Toews gave the Avs a 2-1 lead with a wrist shot from the point through traffic at 8:54 of the third. At 18:03, Rantanen scored on an empty net to double the Avs’ advantage. Before and after Rantanen’s goal, Blackwood made several key saves to keep the Avs in front. Of his 26 saves, 14 came in the third period. With his performance, he earned the second star of the game.
Top of the Charts
Nate the Great
MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (66) and assists (52). He has seven more points than any player in the league.
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in goals (13) and points (49) while ranking tied for first in assists (36). Among all skaters, he’s tied for sixth in assists and 10th in points.
Moose Crossing
Rantanen is tied for second in goals (24), tied for third in points (58) and tied for eighth in assists (34).
History
In 110 previous meetings between the teams, the Avalanche are 64-35-11 against the Blackhawks. They’ve met twice in the playoffs, with the Avalanche defeating the Blackhawks in six games in both the 1996 Western Conference semi-finals and the 1997 Western Conference quarterfinals.
A Home Defeat to the Rangers
The Blackhawks lost 6-2 to the New York Rangers at the United Center on Sunday. Chicago’s Tyler Bertuzzi opened the scoring at 5:37 of the first period before Jonny Brodzinski tied the game at 15:12 of the opening frame. Late in the first, Will Borgen gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 18:22. In the second period, the Rangers scored three times to extend their lead to four with goals from Filip Chytil at 3:28, Reilly Smith at 9:54, and Vincent Trocheck at 15:16. At 18:00 of the second, Wyatt Kaiser scored for Chicago to cut their deficit to three. In the third period, Chytil scored his second goal of the game to give the Rangers a 6-2 lead.
Contributors Against Chicago
MacKinnon has posted 49 points (16g/29a) in 41 games against the Blackhawks.
In 12 meetings with the Blackhawks, Makar has registered 13 points (5g/8a).
Rantanen has recorded 33 points (10g/23a) in 26 games against Chicago.
Windy City Scorers
Connor Bedard leads Chicago in points (35) and assists (25) while ranking tied for third in goals (10).
Bertuzzi leads the Blackhawks in goals (14) and is tied for fourth in points (21).
Teuvo Teravainen is second on the team in points (25) and assists (18).
A Numbers Game
99
Makar has posted 99-career goals entering Wednesday's contest.
124
MacKinnon and Rantanen have combined to post 124 points (38g/86a), the most among any duo in the NHL.
63
Toews’ 63 even-strength points (17g/46a) since the start of the 2023-24 season are the seventh most among NHL defensemen.
Quote That Left a Mark
“I think our commitment to defending is really high. I think guys take good pride in it, especially on the PK. I feel like it’s starting to come. Overall, it boils down to communication and everybody just wanted to win.”
-- Cale Makar on the team’s defense
