The Colorado Avalanche have a chance on Halloween to do more than just beat the Calgary Flames. They can start answering some of the questions hanging over them by backing up a strong showing with another one.
That’s been the issue for Colorado all season: one good night hasn’t always led to the next. The Avalanche knocked off the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Wednesday, and that was the kind of response Jared Bednar wanted after his warning.
But one game doesn’t settle anything. If Colorado wants to look like the Stanley Cup contender people expect, it has to keep bringing that same level for 60 minutes at a time.
The Flames come into Ball Arena at 6-7-0 and fresh off a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Friday. Colorado already beat Calgary 7-3 on October 8, but that result doesn’t tell you much about what Saturday will look like.
The Avalanche are also dealing with a major setback on the blue line. Veteran defenseman Josh Manson suffered an ankle injury against the Devils, and Bednar said after evaluation that Manson is expected to be out for approximately eight weeks. That’s a big hit to Colorado’s physical edge and defensive steadiness.
Through 13 games, Manson leads the Avalanche with 28 hits and sits third on the team with 17 blocked shots. Noah Juulsen should get the first chance to fill the opening, but nobody is asking him to be Manson right away. What Colorado needs is a group effort, with the defense collectively picking up the physical play and taking on more responsibility.
That becomes even more important against a Calgary team that just put six goals on Seattle and has shown it can cash in when opponents hand it chances. Colorado cannot afford sloppy mistakes in its own end and expect to get away with it.
At the same time, the Avalanche should like their odds offensively. They lead the NHL with 43 five-on-five goals through 13 games, and the numbers at the top of the lineup are still loud. Nathan MacKinnon has 22 points, while Artturi Lehkonen leads the team with 10 goals.
There’s also a goaltending angle here. Devin Cooley was placed on injured reserve Friday, leaving Dustin Wolf as Calgary’s primary option in net. Wolf enters with a 4.39 goals-against average, which gives Colorado an opening if it keeps pressing.
The Avalanche showed what that pressure can look like in the first meeting, scoring seven times with two goals from Cale Makar. But that kind of output isn’t automatic. Colorado has to stay aggressive and keep creating chances.
Wednesday’s win over New Jersey was built on volume, too. The Avalanche outshot the Devils 44-22, and that kind of push has been one of the clearest signs of what this team can be when it comes out with urgency.
That’s also been the frustration early in the 2026-27 campaign. Colorado can look overwhelming when it starts fast.
It can also look flat and slow. The problem is figuring out which version shows up on any given night.
Bednar had already made that point after the loss to Nashville, saying the motivation had to come from within and expecting his veterans to lead the way. Against New Jersey, the whole roster delivered, with the defense sharp and the offense doing its part. The real test is whether that can hold up again.
The schedule helps Colorado here. Calgary is in the second half of a back-to-back, while the Avalanche have had two days off. That should matter, and if it doesn’t show early, it will be a missed chance.
Ball Arena has treated Colorado well so far. The Avalanche are 5-1-1 at home and have won three straight there.
A Halloween win would add two more points, but the bigger goal is much simpler: show the same edge again. For Colorado, the challenge isn’t just beating the Flames. It’s proving it can keep playing at a championship level over and over.
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Flames Suddenly Face A Crease And Lineup Problem Before Back To Back
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For now, the goaltending picture points toward Dustin Wolf carrying the load with Sergeev behind him, while the forward group will have to manage without Brennan Othmann. It is the kind of short-term disruption that can ripple through a schedule quickly, especially when the games keep coming and the Flames do not have much time to sort out the next move. [Read more 🡒]