Columbus Blue Jackets (23-34-12, eighth in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (44-20-5, second in the Central Division)
Denver; Friday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Mikko Rantanen recorded a hat trick in the Avalanche's 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.
Colorado has gone 26-6-0 in home games and 44-20-5 overall. The Avalanche rank first in NHL play with 256 total goals (averaging 3.7 per game).
Columbus is 10-16-7 in road games and 23-34-12 overall. The Blue Jackets are 12-14-6 when they commit more penalties than their opponent.
The matchup Friday is the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Rantanen has 37 goals and 56 assists for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon has eight goals and 13 assists over the last 10 games.
Kirill Marchenko has scored 18 goals with 15 assists for the Blue Jackets. Alexander Nylander has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 9-1-0, averaging 4.2 goals, 7.5 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while giving up 1.8 goals per game.
Blue Jackets: 4-4-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.3 assists, 3.1 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog: out for season (knee), Pavel Francouz: out for season (groin), Logan O'Connor: out for season (lower body).
Blue Jackets: Justin Danforth: out (concussion), Yegor Chinakhov: day to day (upper-body), Sean Kuraly: out (lower body), Kent Johnson: out for season (shoulder), Patrik Laine: out (collarbone), Adam Boqvist: day to day (upper-body), Adam Fantilli: out (leg).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
