DENVER — Tuesday’s preseason matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche promises a substantive glimpse into how both teams are shaping up ahead of the new season.
The Avalanche are coming off a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars in a preseason matchup Saturday night at Ball Arena. This came despite Colorado going 0-7 on the power play. But bear in mind the only Avalanche regulars in this lineup were Ross Colton, Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen and Brent Burns.
The Golden Knights enter Tuesday’s contest following a narrow 2–1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Friday. However, it is the lineup from the previous night that likely offers a clearer preview of what to expect. In that game, a 3–2 win over the Utah Mammoth at T-Mobile Arena, Jack Eichel—currently in line for a new contract—delivered an impressive three-point performance, including two goals. Ivan Barbashev contributed two points, while Shea Theodore added a goal and an assist. Mitch Marner also registered an assist, continuing to build chemistry with his new teammates.
With several of Colorado’s regulars sitting out the previous game, Tuesday’s matchup is expected to feature lineups much closer to full strength for both teams. For the Golden Knights, the trend is already evident: only one regular starter, Kaedan Korczak, was absent from their recent game against San Jose. For fans in the Denver area, this preseason tilt offers a compelling preview of regular-season intensity. Expect a high-tempo, hard-fought contest—both teams are likely to come out firing on all cylinders.
Vegas The Clear Favorite? Avs Injured
Colorado remains undefeated in preseason play, a streak that includes victories in both Rookie Showcase matchups against the Golden Knights and the Mammoth. However, the Avalanche will be without several regular starters on Tuesday due to injury. Starting goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood continues to rehab a lower-body injury sustained during the summer, while forward Logan O’Connor—recovering from offseason hip surgery—is not expected to return for approximately another month. Defenseman Samuel Girard is also nursing a lower-body injury, though he rejoined the main practice group on Sunday morning in a red non-contact jersey, signaling progress in his recovery. Scott Wedgewood will likely get the start in net for the Avalanche and backed up by Trent Miner.
Based on Sunday’s practice, Colorado may feature a top line of MacKinnon, Lehkonen, and Martin Nečas. In recent sessions, the Avalanche have also experimented with rotating Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin on the left wing, so it remains to be seen which combination they’ll go with on Tuesday.
As of now, the only known injuries for Vegas are to defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Pavel Dorofeyev, both listed as day-to-day. Given the relative health of the Golden Knights’ roster, one could reasonably argue they hold a slight edge heading into Tuesday’s matchup. Of course, the true measure will come on the ice. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m. local time, with live coverage available on TNT and FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340.