Vancouver-canucks vs Colorado Avalanche Picks and Predictions December 16th 2024

Avalanche Find Stability in Net

The Colorado Avalanche (17-9-2) travel to Vancouver on Monday with momentum from their revamped goaltending situation. Following their acquisition of Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators and Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks, the Avalanche have seen a marked improvement in their defensive play.

Blackwood made his debut for Colorado on Saturday, stopping 37 of 39 shots in a 5-2 victory over Nashville. Head coach Jared Bednar praised Blackwood’s composure, especially in the face of an illness-plagued roster.

“He gave us a really good chance to find our game,” Bednar said. “That game could’ve been ugly by the 30-minute mark without him.”

Since acquiring Wedgewood and Blackwood, the Avalanche’s goals-against average has dropped significantly, going from 3.72 before Nov. 30 to 2.57 through seven games in December.

With superstar forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen continuing to dominate offensively—combining for a league-best 96 points between teammates—the Avalanche appear poised for a deep playoff push if their goaltending holds steady.

Canucks Struggle to Find Consistency

The Vancouver Canucks (11-15-4) are looking for answers at home, where they’ve posted an underwhelming 5-7-4 record this season. The Canucks are coming off a disappointing 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, a game that highlighted the team’s struggles with energy and consistency.

“We’ve got to find another gear,” head coach Rick Tocchet said after the game. “It’s the NHL—you can’t play one good game and two bad ones.”

The Canucks’ inconsistency has been especially glaring at home, where they are just 2-2-1 through the first five games of a six-game homestand. Tocchet also noted that illness has impacted the team’s recent performances, but he stressed the need for certain players to bring more intensity from the opening puck drop.

Matchup to Watch: Cale Makar vs. Quinn Hughes

Monday’s game will feature two of the league’s most dynamic defensemen in Colorado’s Cale Makar and Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes. Both players are key to their teams’ offensive and defensive strategies. Makar leads the Avalanche’s blue line with 37 points (nine goals, 28 assists), while Hughes has tallied 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists) for the Canucks despite playing three fewer games.

Goaltending Battle

The Avalanche’s newfound stability in net with Wedgewood and Blackwood will be a focal point. Blackwood’s strong debut adds to Wedgewood’s .931 save percentage since joining Colorado, giving the Avalanche a reliable tandem to lean on.

Vancouver’s goaltending situation remains unsettled. Thatcher Demko, still regaining form after an eight-month absence due to a knee injury, allowed five goals on 28 shots in Saturday’s loss. Backup Kevin Lankinen’s illness leaves uncertainty over who will start on Monday, with Arturs Silovs as an additional option.

Keys to the Game

For Colorado:

• Maintain defensive discipline to limit Vancouver’s opportunities.
• Continue riding the offensive output of MacKinnon and Rantanen.
• Lean on the goaltending tandem to control momentum.

For Vancouver:

• Start with more urgency to avoid early deficits.
• Get stronger contributions from underperforming players.
• Improve home-ice performance to salvage the homestand.

Discover detailed insights in NHL Atlantic Division Odds & Predictions.

Prediction: Avalanche 4, Canucks 2

Colorado’s recent improvements in goal combined with their high-powered offense give them the edge over a Vancouver team still searching for consistency. Expect the Avalanche to control the game and extend the Canucks’ struggles at home.