Montreal has the standings edge, but Colorado’s stronger goal differential and top-end production make Saturday’s matchup a tight test.
At Centre Bell on Saturday, Montreal brings 28 points in 19 games, three more than Colorado has collected in 20, while the teams sit 10th and 11th in the power index at 69.9 and 69.2. The Canadiens have won three of their last five; the Avalanche have won two, but Colorado’s +18 goal differential tops Montreal’s +10. Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado with 20 points in 15 games, while Cole Caufield has 16 in 15 for Montreal. Goaltending could decide the narrow matchup: Jacob Fowler has a .931 save percentage across 15 games, compared with Mackenzie Blackwood’s .912 in 15.