The Colorado Avalanche will aim to extend their winning streak when they face Charlie Coyle and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday at Nationwide Arena, a matchup that will also feature a significant individual milestone the moment the puck drops.
The Avalanche’s matchup with the Blue Jackets will mark Cale Makar’s 400th career NHL game—an extraordinary milestone that cements his standing among the sport’s elite. Over his first 400 appearances, Makar has already carved out a place in history: only Paul Coffey (475) and Bobby Orr (508) have tallied more points in that span, while just four defensemen—Ray Bourque (124), Denis Potvin (128), Coffey (148), and Orr (150)—have scored more goals. Anything short of a victory would feel like a letdown, but Colorado (3-0-1) enters with strong momentum and a prime opportunity to extend its winning streak to two games against Columbus (1-2).
Top Line Is Soaring
Through four games, the duo of Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Nečas has amassed a combined 16 points. In Monday’s 3-1 win over the then-winless Buffalo Sabers, MacKinnon scored twice and nearly missed out on recording a hat-trick, while Nečas recorded a pair of assists. The pair came close to adding more to their total, but an offside review nullified a beautiful third period goal from Nečas.
There’s a lot of concern from Avs fans and rightfully so about Nečas’ contract status. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and given how things worked out with Mikko Rantanen last spring, it only seems natural to be on edge about re-signing star players. But if there’s anything that should give Colorado fans hope, it’s what Nečas told The Gazette’s Evan Rawal over a week ago about MacKinnon.
While with the Carolina Hurricanes, Nečas closely analyzed players across the league, searching for elements he could incorporate into his own game. One player stood out from the rest: MacKinnon
“I was watching his game a lot, playing a little bit similar when I was in Carolina,” Nečas told Rawal.
When you look at it from that perspective, does this sound like a guy who really wants to leave Colorado as was falsely claimed during the offseason? All signs are pointing towards a contract extension. Sometimes the best deals are made in private. And with MacKinnon and Nečas combining for four points per game through four games, there’s no reason to break them apart.
Following their win over Buffalo, MacKinnon praised Nečas but also said their early success wouldn’t happen without Artturi Lehkonen.
“Obviously Lehky makes it all possible with his routes, his net presence,” he told reporters. “We can’t have three guys buzzing around the outside, we need someone in the paint, and that’s what Lehky’s doing.”
Inconsistent Power Play
Colorado’s power play has experienced its share of highs and lows through the first four games, but Columbus may offer a prime opportunity for the unit to build some momentum. The Blue Jackets’ penalty kill has struggled early in the season, most notably in Monday’s 3–2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, when it surrendered two power-play goals that ultimately decided the game. Perhaps the most damning statistic: both goals were allowed within five seconds of the respective power plays ending.
In boxing, when a fighter suffers a setback, they often take what’s known as a “soft touch”—a comparatively easy opponent intended to rebuild confidence before returning to top-tier competition. In a similar vein, if Colorado’s power play has yet to meet expectations, facing a team with a struggling penalty kill could serve as the perfect remedy to restore rhythm and efficiency.
Will Miner Get The Start?
Scott Wedgewood has arguably never looked sharper. Following his trade from the Nashville Predators, he posted a 13–4–1 record over 19 appearances last season for the Avalanche, accompanied by career-best numbers: a 1.99 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Through the first four games of the current campaign, Wedgewood appears on track to surpass those marks, compiling a 3–0–1 record with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage.
However, it is still early in the season, and at some point, Wedgewood will inevitably require a night off. That could open the door for 24-year-old Trent Miner to make the start. Miner is coming off one of the finest seasons of his career with the Colorado Eagles, posting a 22–10–9 record over 38 games, along with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Many expected him to draw the start against Buffalo, particularly after Wedgewood’s uneven performance against Dallas, though Wedgewood ultimately met expectations in the 2–1 victory over the Sabers.
Defensive lapses have been a recurring issue early in the campaign, yet Wedgewood has largely compensated, most notably in the October 9 win over the Utah Mammoth—a game that could easily have swung the other way. The pressing question for Avalanche fans is whether Miner would be capable of the same level of intervention if similar defensive breakdowns occur. Time will tell.
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