San Jose Sharks (11-9-3) @ Colorado Avalanche (16-1-5)
7 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
Winners of its previous nine games, the Avalanche hosts the most recent team to beat them, the San Jose Sharks, at Ball Arena on Wednesday. This is the second of three regular-season matchups between the teams this season, as the Sharks won 3-2 in overtime in San Jose on November 1st, and they’ll play again in Denver on February 4th.
Latest Result (COL): COL 1, CHI 0
Latest Result (SJS): BOS 1, SJS 3
A Shutout in Chicago
Scott Wedgewood posted a 22-save shutout to help the Avalanche defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0 at United Center on Sunday. Cale Makar scored the game’s lone goal, his ninth of the season, at 18:21 of the second period with a left-circle shot, cleaning up a rebound created by Tristen Nielsen, who began the play with an offensive-zone interception. With the assist, Nielsen recorded his first NHL point. After Saturday’s 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators, the past two Avs games marked the first time in franchise history that the team recorded shutouts on back-to-back days.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (37), is tied for first in goals (17) and tied for second in assists (20).
All Hail Cale
Makar leads all NHL defensemen in goals (9), assists (20) and points (29). Among all skaters, he’s tied for second in assists and tied for sixth in points.
Marty Party
Martin Necas is tied for sixth in the NHL in goals (13) and tied for 10th in points (28).
Series History
In 113 previous regular-season games against the Sharks, the Avalanche has a record of 61-38-13. The teams have met five times in the playoffs, with the Avs winning the 1999 Western Conference Quarterfinals in six games and the 2002 Western Conference Semifinals in seven contests.
Successful Sunday
The Sharks defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1 at SAP Center at San Jose on Sunday. San Jose took a 2-0 lead after Shakir Mukhamadullin opened the scoring at 15:53 of the first period before Macklin Celebrini doubled the Sharks’ lead with a power-play goal at 11:45 of the second period. In the third period, Morgan Geekie put the Bruins on the board at 10:02 before Collin Graf gave the Sharks a 3-1 lead with an empty-net goal at 18:53.
Starring Against the Sharks
MacKinnon has posted 56 points (21g/35a) in 38 regular-season games against the Sharks in addition to five points (3g/2a) in seven playoff contests.
In 17 regular-season contests against San Jose, Makar has registered 30 points (8g/22a) along with four assists in seven playoff games.
Necas has recorded nine points (6g/3a) in 10 games against the Sharks.
San Jose’s Scorers
Celebrini leads the Sharks in goals (14), assists (20) and points (34).
Will Smith is second on the Sharks in goals (7), assists (14) and points (21).
William Eklund is third on the Sharks in points (14), fourth in assists (9) and tied for fourth in goals (5).
A Numbers Game
87%
Colorado’s 87% mark on penalty kill is the third best in the NHL.
9
The Avalanche has allowed a league-fewest nine third-period goals.
+40
Through the first 22 games of the season, Colorado’s +40 goal differential is the best in franchise history.
Quote That Left a Mark
“I think we just knew what we were doing wrong. We were just kind of losing some battles in the [defensive] zone and allowing them to kind of get to our net. I think we found our legs after the first [period] and started really rolling."
-- Cale Makar on the difference between the first period and the rest of the game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday
