New York Islanders (0-1-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (0-2-0)

7pm MT | ball arena | Watch: Altitude TV | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

The Avalanche will look to get their first win of the season when they host the New York Islanders. This is the second straight game the Avalanche will face a Metropolitan Division team and the second of three straight games against an Eastern Conference opponent. This will be the first of the Avalanche’s two meetings with the Islanders, as the teams meet on January 28, 2025 in Elmont, New York.

Latest result (COL): October 12, 2024: CBJ 6, COL 4

Last result (NYI): October 12, 2024: NYI 0, DAL 3

Avalanche vs. Blue Jackets 12/10/24 Summary

The Avalanche lost their home opener Saturday 6-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead before Nathan MacKinnon scored his first goal of the season on the power play late in the first period. After Columbus doubled its lead early in the second period, Miles Wood and Casey Mittelstadt scored the equalizer. After two Blue Jackets goals, Ross Colton scored his first goal of the season late in the third period before Sean Monahan scored an unanswered goal.

Avs successes

With the first assist on MacKinnon’s goal on Saturday, rookie forward Ivan Ivan secured his first career NHL point.

When he takes the ice for Monday’s game, former Islander Devon Toews will appear in his 400th NHL game. He scored 235 points (52g/183a) in 399 games, including 46 points (11g/35a) in 116 games with the Islanders.

Story

In 42 games against the Islanders, the Avalanche are 23-15-4, including three straight wins. Last season, the Avalanche won 5-4 in overtime at Ball Arena and 7-4 at UBS Arena.

Exclusion in Dallas

On Saturday, the Islanders lost 3-0 to the Dallas Stars, who conceded two goals from Tyler Seguin and another goal from Jamie Benn. Seguin scored first at 7:59 of the first period before Benn doubled Dallas’ lead at 10:58 of the second period. At 18:57 of the third period, Seguin scored his second goal of the game with an unanswered goal. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger posted a 34-save shutout in the win.

Say hello to a familiar face

The Avalanche know Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, whose number 33 hangs in the rafters of Ball Arena. Roy spent eight years of his Hall of Fame goalkeeping career in Colorado, compiling a regular season record of 262-140-65, along with a .918 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average. With the Avalanche, Roy won two Stanley Cups (1996, 2001) and a Conn Smythe Trophy (2001). He also served as Colorado’s head coach for three seasons.

Statistics you should know

MacKinnon has 24 points (10g/14) in 19 career games against the Islanders, including four points (2g/2a) in two games during the 2023-24 season.

Cale Makar has 14 points (3g/8a) in eight games against the Islanders. He scored six points (1g/5a) in two contests during the 2023–24 season.

The Avalanche are the fifth-highest scoring team in the NHL with 4.00 goals per game.

Islanders in numbers

Anthony Duclair (1g/1a) and Noah Dobson (0g/2a) are tied for the team lead in points with two, while Duclair, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov are four tied for the team lead in goals with one each.

Semyon Varlamov started both games in net for the Islanders, posting a save percentage of .865 and a goals-against average of 3.52.

Numbers game

2

Casey Mittelstadt enters Monday’s contest two points shy of 200 points in his career. In 359 career games, he scored 68 goals and 130 assists. Mittelstadt is currently second on the team with two goals.

9

Mikko Rantanen is tied for ninth in the NHL with two goals at the same level. Since the start of the 2021/22 season, Rantanen is in fifth place in the league with 92 goals at the same level.

42.9

At 42.9%, the Avalanche’s power play is in a four-way tie for first place in the NHL.

Quote that left its mark

“There’s a sense of urgency that I like. I don’t think it will do you any harm if you immediately dive into the depths of your game. That’s not a bad thing.”

– Jared Bednar on the team’s 0-2 start