Schedule / Matchup Preview

Colorado Avalanche vs Washington Capitals · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview vs Capitals · SAT · DEC 12 · 8:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
SAT · DEC 12 · 8:00 PM CT
Ball Arena
ALT2 · KTVD · MNMT2
Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche
2–0–0
VS
Washington Capitals
Capitals
1–1–0
Upcoming
SAT · DEC 12 · 8:00 PM CT
ALT2 · KTVD · MNMT2
Colorado Avalanche
Home · Avalanche
2–0–0
4 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Mackenzie Blackwood has not had an answer for Alex Ovechkin: 7 goals on 55 shots. But stay out of the box: the Avalanche's power play ranks 8th and Washington's penalty kill sits 29th.
Ball Arena
Washington Capitals
Away · Capitals
1–1–0
2 PTS
Avalanche
GOALIES
Capitals
Mackenzie Blackwood
Mackenzie Blackwood
Expected
.912 SV% · 2.50 GAA · 2W
.886 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Logan Thompson
Logan Thompson
Expected
.939 SV% · 2.00 GAA · 1W
.923 SV% L5 · Locked in
Avalanche
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Capitals
L1
Artturi Lehkonen · Nathan MacKinnon · Martin Necas
L1
Alex Tuch · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Tom Wilson
L2
Gabriel Landeskog · Brock Nelson · Nazem Kadri
L2
Alex Ovechkin · Dylan Strome · Ryan Leonard
L3
Jaden Schwartz · Fedor Svechkov · T.J. Hughes
L3
Aliaksei Protas · Ilya Protas · Jordan Kyrou
L4
Parker Kelly · Nicolas Roy
L4
Boone Jenner · Justin Sourdif · Anthony Beauvillier
D1
Devon Toews · Cale Makar
D1
Jakob Chychrun · Matt Roy
D2
Brett Kulak · Sam Malinski
D2
Cole Hutson · Vincent Desharnais
D3
Josh Manson · Brent Burns
D3
Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
PP1
T.J. Hughes · Gabriel Landeskog · Nathan MacKinnon · Martin Necas · Cale Makar
PP1
Tom Wilson · Dylan Strome · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Alex Ovechkin · Jakob Chychrun
PP2
Jaden Schwartz · Nazem Kadri · Artturi Lehkonen · Devon Toews · Brock Nelson
PP2
Alex Tuch · Ilya Protas · Ryan Leonard · Cole Hutson · Jordan Kyrou
PK1
Parker Kelly · Nicolas Roy · Devon Toews · Brent Burns
PK1
Aliaksei Protas · Tom Wilson · Vincent Desharnais · Matt Roy
PK2
Brock Nelson · Artturi Lehkonen · Josh Manson · Cale Makar
PK2
Boone Jenner · Alex Tuch · Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
AvalancheProjected lines
L1
Artturi Lehkonen · Nathan MacKinnon · Martin Necas
L2
Gabriel Landeskog · Brock Nelson · Nazem Kadri
L3
Jaden Schwartz · Fedor Svechkov · T.J. Hughes
L4
Parker Kelly · Nicolas Roy
D1
Devon Toews · Cale Makar
D2
Brett Kulak · Sam Malinski
D3
Josh Manson · Brent Burns
PP1
T.J. Hughes · Gabriel Landeskog · Nathan MacKinnon · Martin Necas · Cale Makar
PP2
Jaden Schwartz · Nazem Kadri · Artturi Lehkonen · Devon Toews · Brock Nelson
PK1
Parker Kelly · Nicolas Roy · Devon Toews · Brent Burns
PK2
Brock Nelson · Artturi Lehkonen · Josh Manson · Cale Makar
CapitalsProjected lines
L1
Alex Tuch · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Tom Wilson
L2
Alex Ovechkin · Dylan Strome · Ryan Leonard
L3
Aliaksei Protas · Ilya Protas · Jordan Kyrou
L4
Boone Jenner · Justin Sourdif · Anthony Beauvillier
D1
Jakob Chychrun · Matt Roy
D2
Cole Hutson · Vincent Desharnais
D3
Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
PP1
Tom Wilson · Dylan Strome · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Alex Ovechkin · Jakob Chychrun
PP2
Alex Tuch · Ilya Protas · Ryan Leonard · Cole Hutson · Jordan Kyrou
PK1
Aliaksei Protas · Tom Wilson · Vincent Desharnais · Matt Roy
PK2
Boone Jenner · Alex Tuch · Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
Bailey Curtis · Oct 3 · 7:41 PM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:10 AM CT
Avalanche
INJURY REPORT
Capitals
Zachary L'Heureux
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Matt Roy
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Logan O'Connor
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Patrick Thomas
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 24
Trent Miner
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Rasmus Sandin
IR · Right knee (surgery) · Expected back Dec 26
Georgii Merkulov
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 7
AvalancheInjury report
Zachary L'Heureux
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Logan O'Connor
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 7
Trent Miner
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Georgii Merkulov
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 7
CapitalsInjury report
Matt Roy
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Patrick Thomas
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 24
Rasmus Sandin
IR · Right knee (surgery) · Expected back Dec 26
Bailey Curtis · Oct 3 · 7:41 PM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:10 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Avalanche have won 2 straight and are 2-0-0 in their first 2 games. The Capitals lost their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

Mackenzie Blackwood has not had an answer for Alex Ovechkin: 7 goals on 55 shots. But stay out of the box: the Avalanche's power play ranks 8th and Washington's penalty kill sits 29th.

The numbers behind it
Matchup
Alex Ovechkin has 7 goals on Mackenzie Blackwood (55 shots).
(Washington)
7 goals on Mackenzie Blackwood
Matchup
Tom Wilson has 4 goals on Mackenzie Blackwood (35 shots).
(Washington)
4 goals on Mackenzie Blackwood
Special Teams
Colorado's power play ranks 8th while Washington's penalty kill ranks 29th.
8th / 29th PP vs PK