Preview: Coyotes Meet Avalanche in Denver on Sunday

Feb. 18, 2024 | 4:00 pm MST | Ball Arena, Denver, Colo.
TV: Arizona 61 | Radio: 98.7 FM Arizona Sports

The Arizona Coyotes are set to meet the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Sunday afternoon, marking the fourth-and-final time the Central Division rivals will face each other this season. The home team has won each game to this point, with the Coyotes winning 4-3 on Nov. 30 and 5-4 on Dec. 27 (both times in overtime) at Mullett Arena, while the Avalanche won 4-1 on Dec. 23 at Ball Arena.

Arizona returns home to face the Edmonton Oilers on Monday at 2 pm MST in the second of back-to-back games.

Forward Clayton Keller is just one point away from 50 on the season, and he will become the fifth player in Coyotes team history to notch four-or-more such seasons. Lawson Crouse, meanwhile, remains just one goal shy of 100 on his career.

Starting lineups were not yet available prior to posting, but either Karel Vejmelka or Matthew Villalta will get the nod between the pipes. Vejmelka is 6-13-2 with one shutout, a 3.48 goals-against average and .893 save percentage this season, and is 2-2-0 with a 3.21 GAA and .899 SV% against Colorado in his career.

Villalta, meanwhile, has never started an NHL game, but was called up on Friday following an injury to Connor Ingram. The 24-year-old, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Coyotes before this season, made four saves against the Hurricanes on Friday in relief of Vejmelka, and was an AHL All-Star just a few weeks ago after posting a 22-11-1 record with a 2.58 GAA and .913 SV% with the Tucson Roadrunners this season.

Considering Sunday is the first of back-to-back games, its likely whoever does not start on Sunday will get the nod on Monday, unless Ingram is ready to return.

Player to Watch: Defenseman Sean Durzi had a goal and three assists against Colorado in the Coyotes’ overtime win on Dec. 27.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE
Colorado is in a bit of a slump lately, having dropped five of its last six games, including its most recent game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Avs are 4-5-1 over their last 10 games, and are third place in the Central Division, one point behind the Winnipeg Jets.

Nathan MacKinnon leads the way with 89 points on 32 goals and 57 assists, which also puts him second in the league in points, third in assists, and fifth in goals. Mikko Rantanen (70) and Cale Makar (60) round out the top three in scoring on the team.

The Avs are playing their first game back at home following a six-game road trip in which they earned just three of a possible 12 points. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev started four of those games, and is 28-13-3 with a 2.94 GAA and .897 SV% this season. He’s third in the league in saves (1,128) and second in wins.

Justus Annunen is 1-2-0 with a 4.08 GAA and .888 SV%, and was in net for Colorado’s loss to the Lightning on Thursday.

Georgiev has appeared in all three games against the Coyotes this season.

Despite their recent woes, the Avalanche possess one of the league’s most prolific offenses, and rank second in the NHL with 3.69 goals-for per game. Though they allow the 12th-most goals per game (3.22), their special teams are also near the top, boasting the seventh-best power play (24.26 percent) and ninth-best penalty kill (81.52 percent).

Player to Watch: None other than the elite MacKinnon, who has four points in three games against the Coyotes this season, and 39 points in 35 career games against them.