Colorado Avalanche — Stats, Schedule & Insights

Team Snapshot

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Key Insight

Colorado finished first overall despite carrying the league's worst power play, a contradiction that reveals elite 5v5 dominance masking a glaring special teams failure. The 26th-ranked power play cost at least 15 goals relative to league average, yet a +99 goal differential proves the Avalanche controlled even-strength play at a historic level. Entering the playoffs against Vegas with a 2-3 last-5 record and declining scoring trend exposes vulnerability precisely when execution must peak.

Strengths

Elite 5v5 goal differential of +99 with league-best offence and defence proves Colorado controls even-strength play at a historic level, the single most predictive playoff metric.

League-leading penalty kill at 84.6% eliminates opponent power plays as a viable scoring path, forcing Vegas to generate offence at 5v5 where Colorado holds structural advantage.

Third-period dominance (102 GF, 59 GA) delivers a +43 differential in the final frame, meaning Colorado enters the last 20 minutes with the league's best combination of closing offence and defensive structure.

Superior road record (29-7-5) compared to home (26-9-6) demonstrates the Avalanche perform under hostile conditions, a critical edge in a playoff series requiring road wins.

Risks

The league's 26th-ranked power play at 17.1% is a season-defining failure that cost 10-15 goals and will be ruthlessly exploited by Vegas through disciplined penalty avoidance, eliminating a scoring channel playoff teams require.

A 2-3 last-5 record with declining scoring (-1.8 trend) and defensive slippage (3.4 GA) reveals Colorado enters the Vegas series in freefall, not peaking—this is the primary threat to championship viability.

Second-period defensive vulnerability (72 GA versus 61 in P1, 59 in P3) creates a 20-minute window where Vegas can seize momentum through matchup exploitation and line changes.

Scott Wedgewood's .904 save percentage is below playoff adequacy, and without visibility into the primary starter's form, goaltending is an unquantified risk that could collapse under Vegas's offensive pressure.

Last 5 Record

2W–3L

Avg Scored (L5)

3.0↓1.8 vs prev 5

Avg Conceded (L5)

3.4

A 2-3 last-5 record with 3.0 goals scored and 3.4 conceded per game represents a sharp decline from season averages, erasing both offensive and defensive advantages at the worst possible moment. The negative scoring trend (-1.8) heading into a playoff series against Vegas indicates timing breakdowns or defensive adjustments opponents have solved. This is not a top-seeded team peaking—it is a league leader entering the postseason in reverse, requiring immediate recalibration to avoid early elimination.

Core Analytics

Core Performance

Offence

Leading the league at 3.68 goals per game, Colorado's offensive output is driven entirely by 5v5 execution, not special teams. The power play converted just 17.1% (26th), meaning the Avalanche generated 302 goals while leaving 10-15 additional goals unclaimed on the man advantage. Third-period scoring (102 goals, highest of any period) demonstrates late-game offensive pressure that closes games, but the recent -1.8 scoring trend and 3.0 goals in last-5 games signals offensive timing issues heading into elimination hockey.

3.68Avg 3.08

1st in NHL

Defence

The league's stingiest defence at 2.48 goals against per game is anchored by the NHL's best penalty kill at 84.6%, allowing just 36 goals on 234 opportunities. Third-period defensive structure (59 goals against, fewest of any period) protects leads and limits comebacks, a critical playoff asset. However, second-period defensive lapses (72 goals against versus 61 in the first) create mid-game vulnerability that playoff opponents will exploit through matchup control.

2.48Avg 3.08

1st in NHL

Special Teams

Top Players

Nathan MacKinnon

Center · #

PTS

Martin Necas

Center · #

PTS

Goals Scored — Last 10 Games

Scoring has dropped noticeably over the last 5 games — a 1.8 goal/game decline vs the previous 5 aligns with the recent dip in results.

Goals For

Goals Against

3–5

VGK

May 24

1–3

VGK

May 22

2–4

VGK

May 20