WHO: Arizona Coyotes (33-29-8, fifth in the Pacific Division during the regular season) vs. Colorado Avalanche (42-20-8, second in the Central Division during the regular season)
WHAT: Western Conference first round; Colorado leads series 3-1
WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday (Altitude, NBC Sports, KRSJ 100.5 FM)
WHERE: Edmonton, Alberta
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche look to clinch the Western Conference first round over the Arizona Coyotes in game five. The teams meet Wednesday for the seventh time this season. The Avalanche won the last meeting 7-1. Nazem Kadri scored a team-high two goals for the Avalanche in the victory.
The Avalanche are 21-14-4 against Western Conference opponents. Colorado is second in the Western Conference shooting 10.5% and averaging 3.4 goals on 32.2 shots per game.
The Coyotes are 18-16-6 against conference opponents. Arizona serves 6.5 penalty minutes per game, the fewest in the Western Conference. Michael Chaput leads them averaging 1.0.
Nathan MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 58 assists and has 93 points this season. Kadri has four goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Colorado.
Alex Goligoski leads the Coyotes with a plus-eight in 70 games this season. Taylor Hall has three goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Arizona.
Avalanche: Averaging 3.4 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 1.7 goals per game with a .929 save percentage.
Coyotes: Averaging 2.6 goals, 3.8 assists, 4.4 penalties and 9.0 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game with a .917 save percentage.
Avalanche: Vladislav Namestnikov: out (undisclosed).
Coyotes: Nick Schmaltz: out (neck).
Associated Press
