Game Preview: Blue Jackets, Avalanche Square Off For First Of Two In Tampere, Finland As Part Of NHL's Global Series

COLORADO AVALANCHE

4–4–1 (9 points)

2:00 P.M. – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4 NOKIA ARENA TAMPERE, FINLAND

Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Market) NHL Network

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche are in Tampere, Finland for a pair of games as a part of the NHL's Global Series, with game one slated for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop Friday afternoon. 

Both teams travelled to Europe looking for answers, though the questions facing each team are drastically different. For the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche, it's how to rebound from dropping consecutive games for the second time in two weeks. They were shutout Friday night against the New Jersey Devils and followed that up with a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders the next day.

But the Blue Jackets have significantly more questions, and far more pressing ones as well. Can they convert on a power play for the first time this season? Can the defense and goaltending put together an even mostly-complete showing? Will any number of slumping players find a way out of it soon? Most importantly: Is there any recovering from a 3-7-0 start?

A trip out of the country could be exactly what the Blue Jackets needed — or it could be another blow to a team that is struggling for answers. Will Tampere be a source of relief, or will it add to the woe?

TALKING POINTS: AVALANCHE

• The defending Stanley Cup champs have not been the world-beaters they were last season. They're 2-3-1 in their last six, and all six games were decided by one goal. Just as the Blue Jackets are in Europe looking for a reset, the Avalanche are too. 
   
• After converting on 50% of their first 20 power plays of the season, the Avalanche have gone cold, connecting on just one of their last ten chances. But even with that, guess who the number one power play in the league is? Colorado, at 39.3%, is 6% higher than any other team in the league — and exactly 39.3% better than Columbus. When the Avs hit the power play, beware of Valeri Nichushkin. Of the 11 power play goals from Colorado this season, the 27-year-old has five of them.
   
• The penalty kill for Colorado has been (and this is horrible news for Columbus fans) really good as of late. They've killed nine of ten after struggling to begin the season, where they allowed six man-advantage goals in just three games. 
   
• Colorado's top line of Arrturi Lehkonen, Nathan Mackinnon, and Mikko Rantanen feels a lot like a sleeping giant. The trio have shared the ice for an average of just under 11 minutes a night so far and have just one goal to show for it. 
   
• Cale Makar and Devon Toews make up one of (if not the) best defensive pairings in the league. When they're on the ice (and that's often, as they combine for 48 minutes of time on ice per night), the puck rarely finds the back of the net for the opposition. So far this year, the have been on the ice for 90 minutes together and have allowed three goals. (For comparison, the Blue Jackets pairing of Zach Werenski and Adam Boqvist have allowed the same number in 44 minutes, and Werenski and Nick Blankenburg have allowed four goals in 47 minutes). Makar and Toews' average of 2.01 goals per 60 minutes is especially nice when you consider they are consistently matched up against the best forwards of their opponents.