Avalanche at Canadiens
The last time the Colorado Avalanche played at the Bell Centre on Dec. 10, 2016, they were embarrassed 10-1 - hitting rock bottom in a season that saw them lose 60 games. The 10 these days represents Colorado's winning streak - the second-longest in club history behind the 12 straight in 1998-99 - as the NHL's hottest and most surprising team takes its act back to Montreal to face the Canadiens on Tuesday.
The Avalanche have scored first in all 10 games of the streak and trailed for only 1:34 during the run when Toronto led 2-1 during Colorado's 4-2 victory Monday which moved it within two points of third-place St. Louis in the Central Division. Montreal has lost four of its last five games after a 4-1 setback to Boston on Saturday, and is nine points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty, who scored a career-high four goals in the Colorado rout last season, has 15 with a team-high 29 points in 2017-18 and is already the subject of trade rumors with Montreal's chances of making the playoffs slim. "It is frustrating,” Pacioretty told reporters about the season after practice Monday. “... It’s up to everyone both in this room and everyone involved (in the organization) to make sure that this team at least makes the playoffs every year. So when that isn’t the case, people are going to be looking for change and for answers. ..."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado) TSN2, RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (27-16-3): Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon (team bests of 23 goals and 59 points) had his five-game goal streak and nine-game point run snapped Monday after recording eight goals and 11 assists during that span. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier has won nine straight decisions, including eight since taking over for the injured Semyon Varlamov (groin), and has posted a .954 save percentage in eight January games. Blake Comeau scored Monday, giving him two goals and three assists in the last five games, and Nail Yakupov scored for the first time in 10 games and the second in his last 20, giving the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft by Edmonton 62 career goals.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (19-22-6): Brendan Gallagher has a team-leading 16 goals but only one in the last nine games, and has managed only eight assists this season. Jonathan Drouin (six goals, 22 points, minus-21) has a goal and three assists in his last six games but is a minus-5 during that span in a disappointing first season with Montreal. Phillip Danault (seven goals, 23 points) has missed the last four games after taking a Zdeno Chara slap shot in the head Jan. 13 and remains questionable.
OVERTIME
1. Colorado has killed 30-of-33 penalties during the winning streak while going 9-for-29 on the power play.
2. Canadiens G Carey Price (13-16-4, 2.96 goals-against average, .908 save percentage) is on pace to record his first losing season since 2011-12 and the highest GAA of his career.
3. The Avalanche have won three of the last four meetings, including a 6-1 victory in Montreal on Nov. 14, 2015.