The Colorado Avalanche (27-2-7) look for their seventh straight victory when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights (17-8-10) at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
Nathan MacKinnon’s eight-game point streak ended in Colorado’s 1-0 win over the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. Still, the Avalanche topped the NHL with 61 points, becoming the fourth team in league history to reach 60 points in its first 36 games. They also extended their point streak to nine games (8-0-1).
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The Golden Knights ended a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. It was a complete team effort, as seven Vegas players recorded two-point nights. Mitch Marner led the charge with two goals, while Mark Stone, Reilly Smith, Brent Howden, Colton Sissons and Tomáš Hertl all contributed to the score.
Looking at head-to-head stats, the Avalanche have won three of their last five matchups against the Golden Knights, including their most recent game on Halloween night, which Colorado won 4-2. In this contest, the Avs have seen four goals and all from different players, including Martin Nečas, Cale Makar, Brent Burns and Brock Nelson.
Cale Makar was particularly effective against the Golden Knights, collecting six points in his last five games against Vegas. Nathan MacKinnon also contributed significantly, collecting five points in the same sequence.
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Samuel Girard has quietly emerged as a dark horse for the Avalanche. He scored the only goal in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Mammoth, marking his second goal of the season. Over his last six games, Girard has scored a point per game, collecting six points.
The aforementioned Nelson didn’t record a point against Utah, but he was a key contributor to Colorado’s depth over the past month. The 6-foot-4 center has six goals and three assists in his last 11 games, including a stretch in which he scored in three straight games.
The last time Nečas faced the Golden Knights was his first game after signing an eight-year extension with the Avalanche. He scored just 41 seconds into the game and added two assists en route to the victory.
Colorado has built a reputation for hitting fast this season, but such fast starts have been rare of late. If there’s anyone capable of delivering one, it’s Nečas. The 26-year-old is currently on pace to finish the season with 36 goals and 71 assists for 107 points, which would mark career highs in both categories.
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Mitch Marner has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his last five games and ranks second on the Golden Knights with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 35 games. He also scored twice in Vegas’ last win.
Ivan Barbashev was equally impressive, combining production and physicality. The 30-year-old Russian has six points in his last five games against the Avalanche and is known for his crushing hits.
Jack Eichel has recorded five points in his last five games against Colorado, while William Karlsson contributed three points during the same stretch.
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The Avalanche will face the Golden Knights on Saturday. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. local time.
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