The Colorado Avalanche’s Record-Breaking Season
The Colorado Avalanche are enjoying a record-breaking season, achieving several remarkable milestones. They became the first team this year to hit the 70-point mark, secure 30 regular-season wins, and post multiple ten-game winning streaks. Notably, they also entered a game against the Washington Capitals today with only one regulation loss at home since the start of the 2025-2026 season. With their current record standing at 33 wins, 5 losses, and 8 overtime losses, they are poised to maintain their dominance.
Upcoming Match Against the Capitals
The anticipated match against the Capitals (with a 24-19-6 record) is set for 2:00 PM MST/4:00 PM EST and will be available for viewing on TNT and across various platforms in the United States and Canada. This marks the Avalanche’s fifth outing of a seven-game homestand.
Recent Setback Against the Predators
The Avalanche’s only defeat at home came recently against the Nashville Predators, where they suffered a disheartening 7-3 loss, significantly attributed to former player Ryan O’Reilly’s impressive performance. O’Reilly, with a hat trick and four points in total, along with captain Roman Josi’s three points, helped Nashville push for a wild card spot in the Western Conference. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar was particularly critical of his team’s performance, stating they gained “no positives” from that match and nearly detested the entire game.
In that contest, Colorado conceded the first goal quickly—just 30 seconds in, thanks to O’Reilly, which set a grim tone for the night.
Mackenzie Blackwood, making his first start in six games after injury, was on the receiving end of multiple goals, though some were unfortunate deflections or challenging situations. However, certain goals, like Michael Bunting’s breakaway, highlighted the team’s defensive lapses. While Brock Nelson had a noteworthy game, matching O’Reilly early on, the Avalanche faltered significantly in the second period, before Nashville took over in the latter part of the game.
Current Standings and Player Highlights
Despite the setback against the Predators, Colorado remains comfortably ahead in the Central Division, with second-place Dallas struggling recently—claiming only two wins in the new year. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild also recorded just three victories in January. This context makes the Avalanche’s first home loss appear less significant in the grand scheme of the ongoing season.
Star player Nathan MacKinnon continues to lead the league in goal-scoring with 36 goals, while also trailing Connor McDavid by just one point in total scoring. Cale Makar remains the top-scoring defenseman, holding a significant 53 points this season. On defense, Scott Wedgewood still boasts the lowest goals-against average in the league, and it’s likely that Blackwood will start today to help him regain his rhythm.
Challenges for the Washington Capitals
Switching focus to the Washington Capitals, they too face challenges, securing only three wins since January began and suffering a defeat to the Florida Panthers in their last outing. Washington currently sits in fourth place within the Metropolitan Division and is trying to gain momentum in the playoff race amid a road trip that presents opportunities for improvement against teams like Vancouver and Calgary. Additionally, Tom Wilson leads the Capitals in goals with 22, although he has been sidelined due to injury since early January. Alex Ovechkin sits second in goals with 20, underlining the challenge Washington faces in consistent scoring.
The Capitals last faced the Avalanche at Ball Arena on November 15, 2024, where they claimed a 5-2 victory. The final meeting of this season between the two teams is slated for March 22 in Washington.
