Colorado @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 4, 2018 ) Colorado 3, Pittsburgh 6

The Colorado Avalanche have ignited their high-octane offense to match their second-longest season-opening win streak since the team moved to the Centennial State. The NHL's lone remaining undefeated team, the Avalanche aim for their sixth straight victory to draw even with the 2013-14 club on Wednesday when they continue their six-game road trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Reigning Hobey Baker Award recipient Cale Makar can match Marek Zidlicky's NHL record for defensemen should he record a point in his sixth straight game to open his career on Wednesday. Like Makar (six assists), Mikko Rantanen (four goals, five assists) and linemate Nathan MacKinnon (two goals, six assists) are riding five-game point streaks after each dented the scoresheet in Colorado's 6-3 win in Washington. The Avalanche aren't the only team occupying the scoreboard operator's time as the Penguins have recorded seven-goal performances on three occasions this season, including back-to-back contests over the weekend to boost their winning streak to three games. Jake Guentzel tallied twice in Sunday's 7-2 romp in Winnipeg to extend his goal-scoring streak to three contests and push his run of points to five straight games (four goals, two assists).

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (5-0-0): Nazem Kadri scored in his second straight game as part of Colorado's four-goal first period on Monday and added two assists to record his first three-point performance as a member of the Avalanche and 13th of his career. Defensemen Erik Johnson and Nikita Zadorov also tallied and Rantanen added a power-play goal as Colorado scored four goals on its first five shots. "That was our best period of the year," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "We found our offensive game, we found our puck patience, we were snapping the puck, executing, and we matched that with real good defending details as well."

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (4-2-0): A rash of injuries throughout Pittsburgh's lineup has forced coach Mike Sullivan to get a bit creative with his lines, with fourth-liners Sam Lafferty, Joseph Blandisi and Adam Johnson appearing to have meshed well with five goals over the last two games. "We've got different guys stepping up and we've got guys coming out of the lineup," Guentzel said. "So it just kind of happens like that and when you lose star power like that you've just got to be simple and we're getting better at it." The Penguins still have star power in the person of captain Sidney Crosby (three goals, seven assists), who joins defenseman Kris Letang (two goals, six assists) with season-opening six-game point streaks.

OVERTIME

1. Crosby, who was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week on Monday, recorded a hat trick in Pittsburgh's 6-3 setback at Colorado on Nov. 28.

2. The Avalanche have scored a power-play goal in each of their first five games of the season for the first time since 2009-10.

3. Sullivan labeled C Jared McCann (lower body) as day-to-day for the Penguins, who are already without Evgeni Malkin (lower body), Bryan Rust (hand), Nick Bjugstad (lower body) and Alex Galchenyuk (lower body).

PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Penguins 3