Colorado’s Three-Game Surge Puts Columbus’ No. 29 Ranking on Trial

Colorado arrives at Nationwide Arena on a three-game winning streak, with a 9-5-1 record and 19 points; Columbus is 5-7-0 with 10 points and has lost two straight. The recent-form gap is just as stark: the Avalanche are 4-1 in their last five, while the Blue Jackets are 2-3. Colorado’s No. 5 power index and 7.01 top-six points per game dwarf Columbus’ No. 29 ranking and 3.93, with Nathan MacKinnon leading the way at 25 points in 15 games. Columbus’ path starts with finding enough offense to challenge that production, led by Kent Johnson’s 11 points; whether the Blue Jackets can keep pace will be the key test.