It took three games for the 2024-25 Avalanche to suffer their third regulation loss. In fact, Colorado started 0-4 last year before digging out of their early-season struggles.
This year has been quite different, to say the least.
Entering the holiday break, Colorado is 27-2-7, and has an NHL record 61 points by Christmas. The team also has an .848 points percentage and has accumulated at least one point in all but two games. Just two regulation losses in 36 games. That’s it.
It’s remarkable.
The Avs are 15-0-2 at home and 12-2-5 on the road. They’ve won 13 in a row at Ball Arena, and both losses, which came early in the season, were in a shootout.
On the road, Colorado is on pace to collect 63 of a possible 82 points. At home, they’re shattering those numbers, albeit both are likely unsustainable.
Their first regulation loss came in their ninth game. The second was on the 27th. If they manage at least a point against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, it’ll already be 10 consecutive games, again, without a regulation loss.
Nathan MacKinnon is already at 30 goals and the season isn’t halfway through. Easy math says he’s on pace for 60+ goals. More precisely, he’s operating at a 68-goal pace. He’s also projected to reach 138 points which, remarkably, still wouldn’t be a career high.
The Avs are five and 11 points up, respectively, on the second and third place teams in the league. They also happen to have two games in hand on both clubs (Dallas and Minnesota) with an opportunity to widen the gap. They’re 14 points ahead of fourth in the NHL, which is also the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes.
All things considered, this has already shaped up to be a historic run for Colorado. The points record is within reach, as is an opportunity to win the Presidents’ Trophy with hopes of ending a 13-year-long curse for the best regular-season team.
Now that we’ve gone through a quick recap of all the staggering numbers behind their season to date, it’s worth noting that these aren’t even the three remarkable stats that are the main focus of this piece.
There’s so much more we can talk about — so many different ways to highlight just how incredible the Avalanche have been since opening night. With five games left before the halfway mark of the regular season, here are three remarkable stats, at least to me, that best underline their run to date.
Goal Scoring at Ball Arena
The rate at which the Avs are scoring goals at home is otherworldly. But I’ll admit, I’m going to highlight more than just that here. Basically, here’s a look at just how insane they’re playing at Ball Arena.
But let’s start with those goals. Colorado averages 4.41 goals per game at home.
Since 1996, the only team with a higher per-game rate at home in a full season is the 2021-22 Florida Panthers, who scored 4.66 goals per game in 41 home games. The Avs have 24 more home dates to try to pass that mark.
Remarkably, the 2023-24 and 2021-22 Avalanche are third and fourth in that category over these past 30 years.
This year’s Avs are also surrendering fewer than two goals per game at home (1.94). They’re not just winning games; they’re often sending the road team out of Denver with a multi-goal loss. Of their 15 wins, the Avalanche have won by at least two goals 11 times. And in nine of those instances, they won by at least three.
Only twice in 17 home games have the Avs scored less than three goals. Surprisingly, both were against the Utah Mammoth. But the defense played its part, helping Colorado win both games in regulation. The Avs defeated Utah 2-1 in their home opener on Oct. 9 and 1-0 in their most recent game on Dec. 23.
Speaking of regulation wins, all 15 of the Avalanche’s victories at Ball Arena were in regulation. The record (29) was set by last year’s Carolina Hurricanes and is still within reach for the Avs.
In total, Colorado has outscored the opposition 75-33 at Ball Arena. It’s a goal differential of +42.
The Goalies Are On Fire
You don’t have to look far to find the last time a franchise leaned on a tandem of goalies like the Avalanche have this year.
The 2022-23 Boston Bruins, which won an NHL record 65 games, were led by Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark (40-6-1) and Jeremy Swayman (24-6-4).
But what separates the Avs from those Bruins is that the Avs know who their guy is. Boston entered the postseason uncertain about which of the two goalies should start on any given night. Head coach Jim Montgomery misplayed his netminders, and Boston ended up blowing a 3-1 series lead in the first round to lose in Game 7 overtime.
This year’s Avs have similar goaltending numbers. Scott Wedgewood is tied for the league lead in wins, going 16-1-4 thus far. Mackenzie Blackwood, who didn’t play a game in October because of an offseason injury, is 11-1-1.
Head coach Jared Bednar has continued to alternate his goalies to keep them fresh, but we’ll likely see Blackwood take control of the crease, even if it’s by playing three of every five games, as the regular season winds down. He should be the clear-cut starter going into the postseason, which would clear up any of the confusion that Boston had.
It’s still remarkable to see what they’re doing. Wedgewood has been on a mission since opening night to prove he’s more than just a backup. In many ways, he’s accomplished that. Bednar has no issue playing Wedgewood against tougher teams. Wedgewood has already signed an extension for next season at a reasonable $2.5 million, and is, along with Blackwood, on the radar for Team Canada.
Both goalies have a matching .924 save percentage. They’re tied for second, trailing only behind Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt. It’s rare to see two goalies on the same team finish a season in the top three in save percentage. The Avalanche could accomplish that this year.
It happened in 2008-09 when Tomas Vokoun and Craig Anderson finished first and third with Florida. Before that, the 2001-02 Avs accomplished it (Patrick Roy and David Aebischer), and the 1999-00 Dallas Stars (Manny Fernandez and Ed Belfour).
Health is Wealth
It’s remarkable in itself to see how many players have appeared in every game for the Avalanche so far this season. Aside from goalies, each team dresses 18 skaters on any given night. The Avs have had 14 guys play in all 36 games.
For this to be the case, almost halfway through the season, a year after Bednar had to use 50 different players, is remarkable in itself.
Health is often a driving factor of a Stanley Cup championship team. And this year the Avs have enjoyed good health to date. It’s nice that, for the first time in four years, we don’t have to start every conversation about health with “without counting Gabe Landeskog, the Avalanche are missing … “
