Vancouver Canucks (10-13-3) @ Colorado Avalanche (18-1-6)
7 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
For the second-straight game, the Avalanche will host a Canadian team when it faces off against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday for Grateful Dead Night. This is the second of three regular-season games between the teams, as the Avs defeated the Canucks 5-4 in overtime in Vancouver on November 9th and they’ll meet again in Denver on April 1st.
Latest Result (COL): MTL 2, COL 7
Latest Result (VAN): VAN 1, LAK 2 (OT)
Successful Saturday
Brock Nelson’s two goals and two assists along with a pair of tallies by Gabriel Landeskog helped the Avalanche defeat the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at Ball Arena. Brent Burns, Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews each added tallies for Colorado while Martin Necas posted three assists and Artturi Lehkonen recorded a pair of helpers. In net for the Avs, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced. Nelson opened the scoring at 7:32 of the first period with his seventh goal of the season and 600th-career point via a wrist shot from the slot set up by Lehkonen’s feed. At 13:25 of the first period, Landeskog doubled Colorado’s lead with his fourth goal of the season when he deflected Nelson’s shot while being pushed into the goal. Montreal challenged the tally for goaltender interference, but it was unsuccessful and the goal was upheld. Burns gave the Avs a 3-0 lead at 50 seconds of the middle frame with his third goal of the season via a wrist shot from the high slot set up by Nelson’s right-circle faceoff win. That goal was the game-winner and the 45th such tally of Burns’ career, which passed Al MacInnis and Denis Potvin for the third-most game-winning goals by a defenseman in NHL history. At 3:55 of the middle frame, Nelson scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the season via a shot from the right doorstep set up by Necas’ perfect backhand feed to give the Avs a 4-0 lead. Ivan Demidov put the Canadiens on the board at 8:27 of the second period via a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle. MacKinnon gave the Avs a 5-1 lead at 19:05 of the second period with his 20th goal of the season via a shot from the left slot, cleaning up a rebound created by Landeskog’s right-circle shot off the rush. At 2:51 of the third period, Toews scored his first goal of the season on a two-on-one rush when his cross-crease pass deflected off a Canadiens player’s stick and in. Lane Hutson scored a power-play goal for Montreal to make it a 6-2 game at 5:10 of the third period via a one-timer. Landeskog gave the Avs a 7-2 lead on the power play with his second goal of the game and fifth of the season at 6:52 of the third period via a net-front redirection.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (44), is tied for first in goals (20) and third in assists (24).
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in points (32), is tied for first in assists (23) and tied for second in goals (9). Among all skaters, Makar is tied for fourth in assists and tied for ninth in points.
Marty Party
Necas is tied for seventh in the NHL in points (33).
Series History
In 134 previous regular-season games against the Canucks, the Avalanche has a record of 67-49-18. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Avs winning the 1996 and 2001 Western Conference Quarterfinals in six and four games, respectively.
Loss in Los Angeles
The Canucks lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in overtime at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. Anze Kopitar put the Kings on the board first at 17:19 of the first period before Evander Kane tied the game for Vancouver at 2:52 of the middle frame. At 3:58 of overtime, Adrian Kempe scored the game-winning goal for the Kings.
Creating Offense Against the Canucks
MacKinnon has posted 34 points (11g/23a) in 29 games against the Canucks.
In 13 contests against Vancouver, Makar has recorded 18 points (3g/15a).
Nelson has registered 18 points (10g/8a) in 23 games against the Canucks.
Canucks’ Contributors
Kiefer Sherwood leads the Canucks in goals (12) and is tied for third in points (16).
Quinn Hughes leads the Canucks in assists (20) and is tied for the team lead in points (22).
Elias Pettersson is tied for the team lead in points (22), is tied for second in assists (14) and tied for third in goals (8).
A Numbers Game
264
Burns’ 264-career goals are tied with Nicklas Lidstrom for the ninth most among defensemen in NHL history.
10
Nelson became the 10th Minnesota-born player to register 600-career points.
20
MacKinnon’s 20 even-strength points in November led the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“He looked like he had great legs again tonight. And he was awesome last night, especially in the third period against [Minnesota]. So, it’s starting to come together for him. Looks confident. Looks like he’s finding his game again.”
— Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on Gabriel Landeskog
