San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche

The NHL-leading Avalanche (36-9-9) enter the final game before the Olympic break with a league-best offense led by Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL with 40 goals. They face a severe mismatch against a San Jose defense that ranks 27th in goals allowed and is reeling from a 6-3 loss to Chicago. We expect Colorado to rebound from a rare shutout loss and use their elite scoring efficiency to overwhelm a Sharks unit currently missing veteran depth following Ryan Reaves' move to injured reserve.