Head-to-head history
Recent meetings between Florida and Colorado have been relatively even. The Cats are 3-2 in their last five against the Avs, but Colorado did grab a 7-4 victory in November. Most of their past matchups over the last couple of seasons have been very high-scoring as well. That could definitely be the case again on Monday night.
Florida looks the part
There will always be a target on your back when you win the Stanley Cup, never mind high expectations as well. So far, the Panthers have managed to look like a team that could go all the way again. The champions are second in the Atlantic Division with a 24-14-2 record, sitting just four points behind the Maple Leafs in top spot. Florida’s offense is shining, ranking eighth in the league in scoring with 3.3 goals per game.
Sam Reinhart is putting together another dominant campaign after signing an extension, leading the way with 22 goals and 24 assists. Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov have also put up over 30 points apiece. The likes of Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, and Aaron Ekblad are all doing their part, too. This is an extremely well-rounded core for the Panthers.
Defensively, however, they could be better. Florida is 18th in goals allowed. Their blue line has been inconsistent at times, but Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight have played quite well in net. The Cats got back on track on Friday with a victory over the Pens, with Sam Reinhart and Lundell scoring in the shootout. Florida is 6-4-0 in their last 10 games and heads into Monday’s contest as a slight underdog at Betway.
Colorado is hot
Winners of seven of their last 10, the Avalanche own a 24-5-1 record, which puts them in fourth place in the Central Division. Saturday’s loss to the Habs ended a six-game winning streak for Colorado, where they beat the likes of Winnipeg, Buffalo, Utah, and Seattle, among others. As we’ve seen in past seasons, Jared Bednar’s squad relies on their electric offense.
Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon has a team-best 65 points and while he’s scored just 14 goals, he has 51 assists. Mikko Rantanen is the leading scorer with 23 goals while adding 34 assists. Cale Makar, Casey Mittelstadt, and Arrturi Lehkonen are all playing very well, too. Scoring just one goal against Montreal was very unlike the Avs, so you could definitely expect them to respond at home versus Florida.
The Avs are 11-7-1 at Ball Arena in 2024-25 and have won four of their last five in Denver. This game is a good test for them because the Panthers are of course a team who is also looking to chase a Cup. Colorado will see this matchup as an important one and they’re a favorite at most NHL sportsbooks.
