Colorado visits Vegas for division matchup

Colorado Avalanche (7-3-1, third in the West Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (9-2-1, second in the West Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: West Division foes Vegas and Colorado face off.

The Golden Knights are 9-2-1 against opponents from the West Division. Vegas ranks fifth in the league averaging 6.1 assists per game, led by Mark Stone with 1.0.

The Avalanche are 7-3-1 against division opponents. Colorado is sixth in the NHL averaging 6.0 assists per game, led by Nathan MacKinnon with 1.2.

The matchup Sunday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Alec Martinez leads the Golden Knights with a plus-10 in 12 games this season. Chandler Stephenson has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Vegas.

Mikko Rantanen leads the Avalanche with seven goals and has 10 points. Joonas Donskoi has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Colorado.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.3 goals, 6.1 assists, four penalties and 9.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game with a .911 save percentage.

Avalanche: 7-2-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, four penalties and 9.1 penalty minutes while allowing 1.8 goals per game with a .930 save percentage.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: Robin Lehner: out (upper body), Shea Theodore: day to day (upper body).

Avalanche: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare: out (knee), Tyson Jost: out (covid protocol), Matt Calvert: out (upper body), Gabriel Landeskog: out (health and safety protocols).

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