Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-2) @ Colorado Avalanche (12-10-0)

8:00 PM MT | Ball Arena | View: Altitude, TNT, Altitude+, Max | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

After a four-game road trip in which they went 3-1-0, the Avalanche kick off the holiday season with a home game against the Vegas Golden Knights. The two teams met on opening night in Las Vegas when the Golden Knights won 8-4 and will meet for a third time on April 8 in Denver.

Latest result (VGK): VGK 5, PHI 4 (SO)

Last result (COL): COL 2, TBL 8

Defeat in Tampa

The Avalanche lost 8-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday at Amalie Arena. Ivan Ivan scored twice to post his first career multi-goal match. After the Lightning took a 2-0 lead in the first period, Ivan scored from the front door off a rebound at 8:56 of the opening frame. Ivan scored again at 1:08 of the third period to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to four before the Lightning responded with two goals to win 8–2.

Visit the rankings regularly

Nathan MacKinnon is tied for first in the NHL in points (35) and first in assists (28).

Mikko Rantanen ranks fourth in the NHL in goals (14), 10th in assists (18) and fifth in points (32).

Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in goals (8), assists (22) and points (30). He ranks fifth among all NHL skaters in assists and eighth in that group in points.

History

The Avalanche are 14-10-2 in 26 previous regular season games against the Golden Knights.

Fighting back on Broad Street

The Golden Knights defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout Monday at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers stormed out to a 3-0 lead after goals from Morgan Frost, Sean Couturier and Emil Andrae. Vegas responded with two goals in the second period from Jack Eichel at 7:42 and Ivan Barbashev at 11:32. After Vegas’ answer, Philadelphia extended the lead to two when Matvei Michkov scored at 13:18 of the middle frame. The Golden Knights then tied the game with goals from Pavel Dorofeyev at 18:10 of the second and Tanner Pearson at 11:55 of the third before winning in the shootout.

Numbers against the knights

MacKinnon has recorded 25 points (7g/18a) in 26 regular season games against Vegas, in addition to seven points (3g/4a) in seven playoff games.

In 16 regular season games against the Golden Knights, Makar has recorded 12 points (4g/8a) and seven points (1g/6a) in seven playoff games.

Rantanen has recorded 18 points (9g/9a) in 23 regular season games against the Golden Knights, including a hat trick in their first meeting this season. In seven playoff games against Vegas, he recorded eight points (4g/4a).

Brave Vegas scorers

Eichel leads Vegas in points (34) and assists (26).

Dorofeyev leads the Golden Knights in goals (11).

Barbashev is second on the team in goals (10) and second in points (24).

A numbers game

4

Ivan is fourth among NHL rookies in goals (5).

10

Rantanen’s ten goals in November equal the most goals in the NHL.

15

MacKinnon’s 15 assists in November led the NHL.

22

Even if Makar hadn’t scored a goal this year, he would still lead NHL defensemen in points with his 22 assists.

Quote that left a mark

‘But we don’t have time. (Tuesday is) a day off and we’re back at the rink playing Vegas. So we don’t have much time to go into this in depth.”

— Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on the remainder of Monday’s game