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Friday's NHL slate will see the Colorado Avalanche (5-4-1) hit the ice against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7-2), starting at 9 p.m. ET at Ball Arena and broadcast on ESPN+. The Avalanche sit in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Lightning are fourth in the Eastern Conference.
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Lightning vs. Avalanche: Oct. 23 Viewing Options
- Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Venue: Ball Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
Avalanche's 2026-27 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 4.10 | 2nd |
| Goals Allowed | 3.00 | 11th |
| Shots | 30.6 | 3rd |
| Shots Allowed | 27.3 | 17th |
| Power Play % | 18.75% | 23rd |
| Penalty Kill % | 82.61% | 11th |
Lightning's 2026-27 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.44 | 10th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.56 | 6th |
| Shots | 29.8 | 8th |
| Shots Allowed | 24.2 | 4th |
| Power Play % | 12.90% | 28th |
| Penalty Kill % | 79.17% | 17th |
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Lightning vs. Avalanche Top Players
Avalanche
- Nathan MacKinnon is one of Colorado's top contributors this season with 16 points. He has averaged 0.6 goals per game, shooting 13.6%.
- Martin Necas has 11 points (five goals, six assists) to add to the team's scoring efforts.
- With 11 points through 10 games (eight goals and three assists), Artturi Lehkonen has been an important part of Colorado's offensive attack this season.
- As Colorado's top goalie, Mackenzie Blackwood has recorded 4 wins and 3 losses this season while allowing 20 goals with 160 saves.
Lightning
- Nikita Kucherov's four goals and nine assists in nine games for Tampa Bay add up to 13 total points on the season.
- Brandon Hagel is one of the impact players on offense for Tampa Bay with 12 total points (1.3 per game), with seven goals and five assists in nine games.
- Jake Guentzel has scored four goals on the season, adding five assists.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy is 5-2-0 this season, compiling 149 saves and giving up 17 goals (2.5 goals against average) with an .898 save percentage (25th in the league).
Lightning vs. Avalanche Injury Report
Avalanche
Georgii Merkulov: Out (Undisclosed),
Nicolas Roy: Out (Lower Body),
Zachary L'Heureux: Out (Upper Body)
Lightning
Yanni Gourde: Out (Hip)
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Avalanche's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/16/2026 | Penguins | W 5-2 | Home |
| 10/19/2026 | Flyers | L 3-2 | Away |
| 10/20/2026 | Devils | L 4-3 | Away |
| 10/23/2026 | Lightning | - | Home |
| 10/25/2026 | Predators | - | Away |
| 10/28/2026 | Devils | - | Home |
| 10/31/2026 | Flames | - | Home |
Lightning's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/15/2026 | Kraken | W 4-3 | Home |
| 10/17/2026 | Canucks | W 4-2 | Home |
| 10/20/2026 | Golden Knights | W 6-2 | Away |
| 10/23/2026 | Avalanche | - | Away |
| 10/24/2026 | Mammoth | - | Away |
| 10/29/2026 | Jets | - | Home |
| 10/31/2026 | Predators | - | Away |