The Colorado Avalanche (50-25-7, 107 points) will be on the road as they open the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Winnipeg Jets (52-24-6, 110 points) on Sunday afternoon at Canada Life Centre.
Colorado ended the regular season on a high note, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. However, they don't carry winning momentum heading into the postseason, going 2-3-1 down the stretch. But then again, they finished the 2022 season on a 1-5-1 streak before eventually lifting the Stanley Cup.
The Jets, meanwhile, suffered a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) at the end of March, but have bounced back in April with a season-closing eight-game winning run, including a 7-0 victory against the Avalanche on April 13.
Here, GOAL brings you all the information you need to know about this NHL match, including how to watch, team news, key results and head-to-head results.
Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche: Date & Puck-Drop time
| Date | Sunday, April 21, 2024 |
| Time | 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT |
| Arena | Bell MTS Centre |
| Location | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
The Stanley Cup Playoff Round 1 Game 1 between Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche will take place at the Bell MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on Sunday, April 21, 2024. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET/ 4:00 pm PT.
How to watch Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche NHL Game on TV & stream live online
The Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche NHL fixture will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN2.
If you don't have cable TV, the best way to watch almost every NHL playoff game online is with DirecTV Stream Choice. Best of all, DirecTV Stream packages all start with a five-day free trial. You need to pay for DirecTV Stream's Ultimate plan ($119.99 per month) to get all the channels you need to watch games on national channels: ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, TBS, and TNT.
Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche Team News & Key Leaders
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets enjoyed a tremendous season, with their offence stepping up to score 3.20 goals per game. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Nikolaj Ehlers led the top two lines with a combined 84 goals and 110 assists, but the rest of the offence also performed well. Cole Perfetti, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Gabriel Vilardi combined for 52 goals and 59 assists, while defender Josh Morrissey contributed 10 goals and 59 assists from the point to help the attack.
Not only the offense has been firing, but their defense was the best in the NHL, allowing only 2.44 goals per game. Defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo combined for 13.2 defensive point shares and 242 blocked shots. In addition, goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been in great form with a .921 save percentage and a 2.39 goals-against average while facing 1798 shots, with (-)31.8 goals saved above average.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado were dealt a blow when Jonathan Drouin was ruled out for the series with a lower-body injury after he got hurt when he tripped in the second period Thursday against Edmonton. The 29-year-old Drouin turned in a career season with 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists) after signing with Colorado over the summer.
Forward Valeri Nichushkin finished with 28 goals and 25 assists in a season where he missed nearly two months after entering the player assistance program alongside defenseman Samuel Girard.
Center Nathan MacKinnon had another stellar season. He reached 50 goals for the first time in his career, and his 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) ranked second only to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov in the NHL, while Mikko Rantanen added 42 goals and 62 assists to the top line.
The offense stepped up, but the defense has faltered this season for Colorado, allowing 3.11 goals per game. While Makar and Toews contributed 9.1 defensive point shares, the rest of the unit struggled massively. Additionally, goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has been in poor form with a .897 save percentage and a 3.02 goals-against average on 1770 shots with (-)11.9 goals saved above average.
Head-to-Head Record
The Central Division rivals know each other well. These two teams faced each other three times during the regular season with Winnipeg winning all three matchups.
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 14/04/24 | Colorado Avalanche 0-7 Winnipeg Jets | NHL |
| 17/12/23 | Winnipeg Jets 6-2 Colorado Avalanche | NHL |
| 08/12/23 | Colorado Avalanche 2-4 Winnipeg Jets | NHL |
| 14/04/23 | Colorado Avalanche 4-2 Winnipeg Jets | NHL |
| 25/02/23 | Winnipeg Jets 1-5 Colorado Avalanche | NHL |