Open Thread: Montréal Canadiens @ Colorado Avalanche (1:00 P.M.)

I regret to inform you, dear readers, that the Colorado Avalanche are not hockey gods of limitless skill and influence out to bend the NHL on a whim.

Being mere demigods with those capabilities will be just fine, and those skills will be put to the test against the visiting Montréal Canadiens this afternoon.

Colorado Avalanche (17-1-6)

The Opponent: Montréal Canadiens (13-7-3)

Time: 1:00 P.M. MST/3:00 P.M. EST

Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Avalanche Broadcast Area – US), SN+ (Canadian Broadcast Areas)

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche had their ten-game winning streak come to an end in St. Paul on Friday, losing to the Minnesota Wild by a 3-2 shootout decision. Nathan MacKinnon scored his League-leading nineteenth goal of the season in the effort, and Gabe Landeskog scored a goal that was nothing short of heroic to tie game in the third period. Although they came up short in the loss, the point they earned made them the first team in the NHL to reach 40 points in the standings. Scott Wedgewood stopped 35 of 37 shots, with Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov scoring both goals for the Wild.

Coming into today’s game, the Avs remain atop the standings League-wide and in the Western Conference, and while Dallas and Minnesota picked up two points on Friday (Minnesota also hosts Buffalo tonight), a win today over Montréal would give Colorado three of a possible four points during another series of back-to-back games. The Avs have a 4-0-1 record thus far in back-to-back games this month, and another win today would go a long way in maintaining a healthy lead in the Central Division. Given how Dallas and Minnesota aren’t showing signs of slowing down, the Avs would do well to keep as much distance between themselves and the rest of the teams giving chase in the Central.

Today’s game is also the second game of the Heritage Series games as part of the Avalanche 30th anniversary season, which means that the powder blue Quebec Nordiques uniform kit will be on full display in this contest. The Avs previously wore these uniforms in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on October 23rd; Carolina also indulged in the nostalgia wave, opting to wear their former Hartford Whalers uniforms for the occasion. While the long-standing rivalry with Montréal now only exists in the history books, seeing the fleur-de-lis in action against a former division rival will certainly be fun and nostalgic experience in its own right.

Just don’t expect a re-enactment of the Good Friday Massacre when the puck drops later this afternoon.

Today’s game is the third game across four days for the Avalanche. Fitting, since their previous victory against Montréal (a 5-4 shootout decision at the Bell Centre on March 22) also took place on a Saturday when the Avs played their third game in four nights. With Wedgewood between the pipes on Friday, it’s likely that Mackenzie Blackwood will be in goal on Saturday afternoon.

Forwards:Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin NečasGabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Ross ColtonParker Kelly – Jack Drury – Victor OlofssonJoel Kiviranta – Zakhar Bardakov – Ivan Ivan

Defense:Cale Makar – Devon ToewsJosh Manson – Brent BurnsSam Girard – Sam Malinski

Between the Pipes:Mackenzie BlackwoodScott Wedgewood

Montréal Canadiens

After an impressive start that saw them win eight of their first eleven games this season, Montréal has endured some rough stretches throughout the month of November. They lost seven of eight games played over a three week period before stringing together a three game winning streak—including a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Friday evening—prior to today’s game against Colorado. They currently sit in second place in the Atlantic Division, only three points behind Tampa for the division lead.

The injury bug has bit Montréal over the past couple of weeks, as they’ve been missing some key personnel in their lineup. Former Avalanche center Alex Newhook underwent surgery for a fractured ankle he sustained in a game against the Dallas Stars on November 13, and will be out for four months. Prior to the injury, Newhook had been having a solid start to the season, recording six goals and six assists for twelve points on the season. Center Kirby Dach will also miss four to six weeks with a fractured foot.

Defenseman Kaiden Guhle underwent surgery for a partially torn adductor muscle on November 13 and is expected to miss between eight to ten weeks. Right wing Patrik Laine also had surgery in late October for a core muscle injury and is expected to miss between three to four months. These injuries have stunted what was a promising start to the season for Montréal, who had been looking to build on a solid 2024-2025 campaign that saw them finish with a 40-31-7 record (a marked improvement over their 30-36-8 finish the year before) and the team’s first playoff berth since the COVID-shortened 2020-2021 season that saw Montréal make their first appearance in a Stanley Cup Final since 1993.

Defenseman Lane Hutson had a breakout season last year, scoring six goals and recording sixty(!) assists during his rookie campaign. He currently leads all Montréal defensemen in points (19), which in itself is good for third overall in team scoring. His performance has certainly boosted expectations as he enters his second full season on the Montréal blue line. Noah Dobson, acquired in an offseason sign-and-trade deal with the New York Islanders, ranks second in points for defensemen (16), which also ranks him second in team assists. Mike Matheson, fresh off a five-year, $30 million dollar contract extension signed on Friday, leads all defensemen in goals (4) and ranks third in points by defensemen (15).

Cole Caufield leads Montréal in goals (14), and his 25 points rank second on the team behind captain Nick Suzuki (27). Left wing Juraj Slafkovský, the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, is tied with Suzuki and center Oliver Kapanen for second place in team goal scoring (7).

Montréal has won three of its past four matchups against Colorado, with their most recent victory coming on home ice back on January 04 (a 2-1 shootout decision).

Forwards:Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Zack BolducJuraj Slafkovský – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan DemidovAlexandre Texier – Jake Evans – Josh AndersonFlorian Xhekaj – Joe Veleno – Brendan Gallagher

Defense:Mike Matheson – Noah DobsonJayden Struble – Lane HutsonArber Xhekaj – Alexandre Carrier

Between the Pipes:Jakub DobešSam Montembeault

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