Colorado @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 11, 2019 ) Philadelphia 1, Colorado 3

The Colorado Avalanche skated into their All-Star break and bye week with a 3-0-2 record on a season-high five-game homestand. The Avalanche hope to recapture their form following an 11-day absence on Saturday when they open a five-game road trip against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"Obviously when you're playing well and you're finding ways to win hockey games, you don't necessarily want the break, but we're just going to try our best to pick up where we left off," Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog said. The 27-year-old Swede began to pick up the offense prior to the break, collecting three goals and an assist during the last homestand. Philadelphia's Jakub Voracek picked up where he left off following the All-Star break and bye week, as he scored a goal in both ends of its split of an unconventional home-and-home series against Pittsburgh. The 30-year-old has three goals and two assists in his last six games heading into the tilt versus Colorado, against which he set up captain Claude Giroux's goal in a 3-1 setback on Dec. 11.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: Altitude, NBCS Philadelphia-Plus

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (28-15-6): All-Star Nathan MacKinnon boosted his club-leading totals in goals (30) and assists (42) with eight of each over the last 10 games. The 24-year-old also set up the first of Mikko Rantanen's two goals in Colorado's previous victory over Philadelphia. Rantanen has shown signs of breaking out of an offensive slump as he answered a five-game point drought with three assists over his last two contests.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (27-17-7): Tyler Pitlick collected his first multi-point performance of the season with a goal and an assist in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins. Philadelphia overcame a two-goal deficit before Sean Couturier's turnover led to Sidney Crosby's overtime winner, but the Flyers forward has erupted for 10 of his club-best 30 assists in his last 11 games. Couturier also had a hand in setting up Giroux's goal in the previous contest against the Avalanche.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado LW Andre Burakovsky has recorded eight points (two goals, six assists) in the past six games.

2. Philadelphia G Alex Lyon will receive his 10th career NHL start and second this season on Saturday.

3. Avalanche D Cale Makar has collected two goals and three assists in his past five games.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Flyers 1