Avalanche Host Panthers in High-Stakes NHL Showdown

The Colorado Avalanche will face the Florida Panthers in a highly anticipated NHL matchup at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday night. This marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season, with the Avalanche securing a 7-4 victory in their first encounter in Sunrise on November 23.

The Avalanche enter the game following a 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Despite the defeat, Mikko Rantanen reached a significant milestone, scoring his 100th power-play goal, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to achieve this feat. Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL in points (65) and assists (51), continues to be a driving force for Colorado.

Florida, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, are coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk scored in regulation, while Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell secured the victory in the shootout. Backup goaltender Spencer Knight made 29 saves, including crucial stops in the shootout.

Colorado holds a strong historical record against Florida, with a 24-12-7 advantage in 43 regular-season meetings. The teams last met in the playoffs in 1996, when the Avalanche swept the Panthers 4-0 to win their first Stanley Cup.

Key players to watch include Rantanen, who has 19 points in 13 games against Florida, and MacKinnon, who has 17 points in 21 matchups. For the Panthers, Reinhart leads the team with 22 goals and 46 points, while Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov provide additional offensive firepower.

The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on Altitude and Altitude+. Fans can also listen on Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM).