Avalanche Riding High as Canucks Come to Town for Grateful Dead Night Showdown
Matchup: Vancouver Canucks (10-13-3) @ Colorado Avalanche (18-1-6)
Time & Place: 7 p.m.
MT | Ball Arena, Denver
Watch/Listen: Altitude, Altitude+ | Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
The Colorado Avalanche are back at it Tuesday night, hosting the Vancouver Canucks for the second time this season-and they’re doing it with some swagger. After steamrolling the Canadiens in a 7-2 win on Saturday, the Avs are locked in, firing on all cylinders, and looking every bit like the powerhouse their record suggests.
This one’s also Grateful Dead Night at Ball Arena, but the Avalanche are hoping it’s the Canucks who’ll be feeling the blues by the end of the evening.
Avalanche Heating Up
Let’s talk about that Saturday night statement win. Colorado didn’t just beat Montreal-they overwhelmed them.
Brock Nelson led the charge with a four-point night (2G, 2A), including his 600th career point on a wrist shot from the slot just over seven minutes into the game. That milestone moment was set up by a slick feed from Artturi Lehkonen, who had a multi-assist night of his own.
Gabriel Landeskog chipped in two goals-including a net-front deflection that withstood a coach’s challenge for goalie interference-and looked every bit like a player rediscovering his rhythm. Head coach Jared Bednar said it best: “He looked like he had great legs again tonight… Looks confident. Looks like he's finding his game again.”
The Avalanche also got goals from Brent Burns, Nathan MacKinnon, and Devon Toews, while Martin Necas continued his strong season with three assists. Mackenzie Blackwood was steady between the pipes, stopping 21 of 23 shots.
Burns’ goal-a wrister from the high slot just 50 seconds into the second period-was more than just a dagger. It was the 45th game-winner of his career, pushing him past Al MacInnis and Denis Potvin for third all-time among defensemen in that category. That’s elite company.
MacKinnon, Makar, and More: The Stars Are Shining
Nathan MacKinnon is playing like a man possessed. He leads the NHL in points (44), is tied for the league lead in goals (20), and sits third in assists (24).
He’s not just producing-he’s dominating. And he’s been especially dangerous against Vancouver, with 34 points (11G, 23A) in 29 career games against the Canucks.
Cale Makar is right there with him. The dynamic defenseman leads all NHL blueliners in points (32), is tied for first in assists (23), and tied for second in goals (9).
Among all skaters, he’s top-10 in both assists and points. He’s not just quarterbacking the offense-he’s redefining what it means to be a two-way defenseman in today’s NHL.
Necas, meanwhile, is tied for seventh in the league in scoring with 33 points. The Avs’ top-end talent is not just performing-it’s thriving.
A Look at the Series
This is the second of three meetings between Colorado and Vancouver this season. The Avalanche won the first round in Vancouver on November 9th, edging out the Canucks 5-4 in overtime. The final matchup will come back to Ball Arena on April 1st.
Historically, the Avs have had the upper hand. In 134 regular-season meetings, Colorado holds a 67-49-18 record. And when it comes to playoff history, the Avalanche have won both postseason series against Vancouver-in 1996 and 2001.
Canucks Coming Off OT Loss
Vancouver enters Tuesday’s game on the heels of a tough 2-1 overtime loss to the Kings in Los Angeles. Evander Kane tied the game early in the second period after Anze Kopitar opened the scoring for LA, but Adrian Kempe ended it in overtime with the game-winner.
The Canucks have had a hard time stringing together wins this season, and facing a red-hot Avalanche team in Denver is about as tough a task as it gets.
Vancouver’s Key Contributors
Despite the team’s struggles, there are a few bright spots for the Canucks:
- Kiefer Sherwood leads the team in goals with 12 and is tied for third in points (16).
- Quinn Hughes continues to be a steady presence on the back end, leading Vancouver in assists (20) and tied for the team lead in points (22).
- Elias Pettersson is right there with Hughes, also sitting at 22 points, with 14 assists and 8 goals.
But they’ll need more than just a few individual efforts to keep pace with a Colorado team that’s clicking in all three zones.
Familiar Faces, Familiar Success
Several Avalanche players have had consistent success against Vancouver:
- MacKinnon: 34 points (11G, 23A) in 29 games
- Makar: 18 points (3G, 15A) in 13 games
- Nelson: 18 points (10G, 8A) in 23 games
That’s not a small sample size-it’s a trend. And if history is any indication, those three could be in for another big night.
Milestone Moments
- Brent Burns now has 264 career goals, tying him with Nicklas Lidstrom for ninth-most among NHL defensemen.
- Brock Nelson became the 10th Minnesota-born player to hit 600 career points.
- MacKinnon led the NHL in even-strength points during November with 20.
The Avalanche are rolling. The stars are shining.
And the depth is delivering. Tuesday night’s matchup against the Canucks is another chance for Colorado to flex its muscle and keep building momentum.
Vancouver will need a near-perfect game to pull off the upset-and even then, it might not be enough.
Ball Arena’s going to be rocking. Let’s see if the Avs can keep the good times rolling on Grateful Dead Night.