After sweeping its weekend trip to California, the Colorado Avalanche returns home looking to extend its winning streak to four games when it faces the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. The game, which is Colorado’s ninth annual Military Appreciation Night, is set to start at 6 p.m. MT at Pepsi Center and will be nationally televised.
The Avs won 2-1 in a shootout against the Los Angeles Kings in their last outing. Joonas Donskoi netted the only goal of the shootout to capitalize on Pavel Francouz‘s 20-save night. Ryan Graves tied the game late in the second period with his ninth goal of the season.
Buffalo has won two straight, beating the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in its last game on Sunday. Sabres’ forward Kyle Okposo scored both of his team’s goals while goaltender Jonas Johansson earned his first NHL win.
It is the second and final meeting of the season for the two clubs. Colorado won the first matchup 6-1 on Feb. 4 at KeyBank Center.
Avalanche vs. Buffalo Sabres
Pepsi Center | Denver, Colo.
COLORADO-BUFFALO CONNECTIONS
Nikita Zadorov was selected in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2013 draft by Buffalo and played two seasons (2013-2015) with the team… J.T. Compher was selected by Buffalo in the second round (No. 35 overall) of the 2013 draft… Avalanche assistant coach Nolan Pratt played his last NHL season with the Sabres in 2007-08… Head coach Jared Bednar played 19 regular-season games for Buffalo’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, in 1997-98… Sabres defenseman Matt Hunwick played three seasons with the Avalanche from 2010-2013.
HISTORY
Colorado beat the Sabres 6-1 in Buffalo on Feb. 4 in the first of two meetings this year. Andre Burakovsky turned in a four-point game (one goal, three assists), the first such performance of his career, while Valeri Nichushkin added three points (one goal, two assists). Nine other players recorded at least one point in the offensive explosion.
The win marked the Avs fourth straight against Buffalo, a span in which they’ve outscored the Sabres 20-6. The teams’ history also includes a 10-game winning streak for the Avalanche from March 2007 to February 2016. Colorado owns a 20-10-4 record against the Sabres since 1995.
ROSTER REPORT
The Avalanche acquired forward Vladislav Namestnikov and goaltender Michael Hutchinson on Monday… Namestnikov skated on a line with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Martin Kaut at practice on Tuesday… Head coach Jared Bednar said after the session that with 11 healthy forwards, the team could recall a player from the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles for Wednesday’s matchup or use a non-traditional roster of 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
INJURY REPORT
Andre Burakovsky (upper-body) and Matt Nieto (upper-body) both skated on their own on Tuesday but did not participate in the full team practice. Head coach Jared Bednar said after the session that both players are doubtful for Wednesday’s game… Matt Calvert (lower body), Philipp Grubauer (lower body), Nazem Kadri (lower body), Mikko Rantanen (upper-body) and Colin Wilson (lower body) are not skating but Bednar noted that all of the players currently injured could return around the middle of March.
SCOUTING THE SABRES
The Sabres (29-25-8) are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, but own a 7-3-1 record since the start of February. Buffalo has averaged 3.09 goals per game while allowing 2.91 against this month, a near reverse of its overall numbers of 2.92 and 3.08. The Sabres have scored a combined 16 goals in their last four contests, winning three.
Leading the way is Jack Eichel, who has 77 points (35 goals, 42 assists), including 13 (five goals, eight assists) in the month of February. Sam Reinhart is second on the team with 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) and Victor Olofsson is third with 40 (19 goals, 21 assists). Buffalo acquired forwards Wayne Simmonds and Dominik Kahun on Monday and both could make their Sabres debuts in the contest.
(OPPOSING) PLAYER TO WATCH: Rasmus Dahlin
Rasmus Dahlin has 37 points this season (four goals, 33 assists), eight of which have come this month. He went on a six-game point streak (one goal, six assists) from Feb. 9-22.
Dahlin, who led all rookie defensemen with 44 points (nine goals, 44 assists) last season, did not play in the last game between the Sabres and Avalanche.
NUMBERS GAME
.973
Pavel Francouz has a combined .973 save percentage over his last three starts, best in the NHL since Feb. 19.
23
The Avalanche has allowed 23 goals in February, the fewest in the NHL in that span.
200
Tyson Jost is expected to play in his 200th-career game on Wednesday.
NOTEBOOK
Wednesday will be the second and final meeting between the Avalanche and Sabres this year… The Avalanche is 17-6-4 against Eastern Conference opponents in 2019-20… Pavel Francouz has a .927 save percentage this season, tied for the third-best among goalies who have started at least 21 games… The Avs have fended off 10 straight power plays, dating back to the NHL Stadium Series game on Feb. 15.