The Colorado Avalanche attempt to return to winning ways Friday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who arrive at the matchup riding a three-game winning streak.
According to the source, the Lightning have been among the top teams in the Eastern Conference since facing the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2022. After a rough start to the season, Tampa Bay has begun to show cohesion.
The Avalanche will face Andrei Vasilevskiy in goal for the Lightning. Despite holding a 5-2-0 record, Vasilevskiy brings a 2.46 goals-against average and .898 save percentage to the matchup. The source notes he was particularly strong in Tampa Bay’s recent win against the Vegas Golden Knights, recording 32 saves on 34 shots.
Colorado will start MacKenzie Blackwood, whose numbers tell only part of the story this season. Blackwood holds a 4-3-0 record with a 2.90 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. However, according to the article, he has been strong in matchups against Pittsburgh and New Jersey, making 54 saves on 58 shots across those games. He also recorded 24 saves on 26 shots in a back-to-back against Dallas.
The Avalanche, who score 4.10 goals per game on average, continue to face defensive challenges. The source indicates that outside of his outing against Toronto, Blackwood has been instrumental in keeping the team competitive despite poor defensive moments and missed power-play opportunities.
Colorado will receive reinforcements for the contest. Logan O’Connor is expected to return after beginning the season on LTIR and missing time following his father’s passing. Taylor Makar has been called up, while Gavin Brindley was sent to the AHL Colorado Eagles. The source notes that the roster moves allow the Avalanche to run a full fourth line with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, moving away from their earlier lineup configuration.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. MT, according to the source.
Key facts
- Lightning enter with a three-game winning streak
- Vasilevskiy has a 2.46 GAA and .898 save percentage
- Blackwood made 54 saves on 58 shots in recent games against Pittsburgh and New Jersey
- Avalanche average 4.10 goals per game
- Logan O’Connor expected to return after LTIR and time away for personal reasons