Avalanche vs. Islanders, Game 6: Lines, Starting Goalies & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche will look to make history tonight when they take on the New York Islanders.

With a win over the Islanders, the Avalanche will set the NHL record for consecutive regular season road victories with 15. With a win, they would also match the best start in Colorado history, equaling the 6-0-0 start from the 2013/14 campaign, per Avalanche head of PR Brendan McNicholas.

For the fourth consecutive game, the Avalanche will start the game with different line combinations. In the middle of Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes, Jared Bednar switched things up, putting Nathan MacKinnon between Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin. That trio combined for a goal soon after. Expect them to stay together, and for Mikko Rantanen to play with Ryan Johansen.

One day after being named the second star of the week by the NHL, Alexandar Georgiev will be in net for the Avalanche. He will eventually need a night off, but it won’t come tonight.

On the opposite end will be Ilya Sorokin, who is arguably the best goalie in the league, and who I picked to win the Vezina Trophy this season. He hides a lot of the deficiencies of the Islanders, and will a tough cookie for the Avalanche to crack.

Ilya Sorokin is on one right now pic.twitter.com/ipzOUTvMFD

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) October 21, 2023

The Islanders are led by Brock Nelson, who has picked up three goals in four games. Colorado will catch a bit of a break, as veteran stay-at-home defenseman (And DU alum) Scott Mayfield will not play.

This is one of 16 games on the NHL schedule tonight, so you’ll have plenty of options on what to watch before, after, and during intermissions.

Expected Colorado Avalanche Lines

Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Valeri Nichushkin

Tomas Tatar – Ryan Johansen – Mikko Rantanen

Miles Wood – Ross Colton – Jonathan Drouin

Andrew Cogliano – Fredrik Olofsson – Logan O’Connor

Defense

Devon Toews – Cale Makar

Sam Girard – Bowen Byram

Jack Johnson – Josh Manson

Goalies

Alexandar Georgiev

Ivan Prosvetov

Expected New York Islanders Lineup

Lee – Horvat – Barzal

Engvall – Nelson – Palmieri

Holmstrom – Pageau – Wahlstrom

Martin – Cizikas – Clutterbuck

Defense:

Pelech – Dobson

Romanov – Pulock

Bolduc – Aho

Goalies:

Ilya Sorokin (Confirmed)

Special Teams

Colorado Avalanche Power Play: 27.8%, 8th in NHL

Colorado Avalanche Penalty Kill: 95.5%, 2nd in NHL

New York Islanders Power Play: 9.1%, 27th in NHL

New York Islanders Penalty Kill: 69.2%, 27th in NHL

How to Watch

TV: Altitude TV, ESPN+

Radio: 950 AM

Game Time: 6:00 PM MST