Thursday, April 3, 2025 – 7:30 PM EDT
Nationwide Arena – Columbus, OH
TV: FDSNOH; Radio: 97.1 FM
Colorado Avalanche (45-26-4, 94 points, 3rd Central, 4th West)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (34-30-9, 77 points, 5th Metro, 10th East)
It’s Military Appreciation Night at NWA. Thank you to all who have served our country.
Player to Watch
Cale Makar
Zach Werenski seems to be a lock to be a Norris Trophy finalist, and his chief rival may be Makar, a finalist four years in a row and winner in 2021-22. Makar leads defensemen in the league in goals, assists, and points (28/57/85). Werenski has 20/54/74, but carrying the Jackets into the playoffs could be enough to make up that difference in the eyes of the voters.
Jackets Notes
The New York Rangers beat the Minnesota Wild in overtime last night, moving them ahead of the Jackets, 79 points to 77. The Jackets do hold two games in hand still, however.
The Other Bench
Back in October, the Jackets won 6-4 in Denver for their first win of the season. Colorado has a bunch of new arrivals since then, including a complete turnover of the goalie room and the departure of Mikko Rantanen and arrival of Martin Necas, Brock Nelson, and Charlie Coyle, to name a few.
Season Series
10/12/2024 CBJ 6 @ COL 4
04/03/2025 COL @ CBJ
Stats
| Colorado | Columbus | |
| 3.32 (6) | GPG | 3.23 (10) |
| 2.77 (10) | GAPG | 3.36 (27) |
| 25.4 (7) | PP% | 19.3 (22) |
| 79.1 (15) | PK% | 75.8 (24) |
| 53.6 (4) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 48.6 (23) |
| 53.6 (5) | 5v5 Unblocked Shot Attempt % | 48.9 (20) |
| 8.6 (21) | 5v5 Shooting % | 10.3 (3) |
| 90.9 (20) | 5v5 Save % | 90.6 (21) |
| Nathan MacKinnon, 30 | G Leader | Kirill Marchenko, 31 |
| Nathan MacKinnon, 80 | A Leader | Zach Werenski, 54 |
| Nathan MacKinnon, 110 | P Leader | Zach Werenski, 74 |
| Miles Wood, 48 | PIM Leader | Mathieu Olivier, 125 |
| 20-15-1 | Home/Road | 22-9-5 |
| 6-2-2 | Last 10 | 3-6-1 |
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Dmitri Voronkov | Sean Monahan | Kirill Marchenko |
| Boone Jenner | Adam Fantilli | Kent Johnson |
| Cole Sillinger | Justin Danforth | Mathieu Olivier |
| Zach Aston-Reese | Sean Kuraly | Luke Kunin |
| Zach Werenski | Dante Fabbro |
| Denton Mateychuk | Ivan Provorov |
| Jake Christiansen | Damon Severson |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Daniil Tarasov |
Colorado Avalanche
| Jonathan Drouin | Nathan MacKinnon | Artturi Lehkonen |
| Valeri Nichushkin | Brock Nelson | Martin Necas |
| Joel Kiviranta | Charlie Coyle | Ross Colton |
| Parker Kelly | Jack Drury | Logan O’Connor |
| Devon Toews | Cale Makar |
| Ryan Lindgren | Sam Malinski |
| Keaton Middleton | Erik Johnson |
| Mackenzie Blackwood |
| Scott Wedgewood |