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Friday's NHL play 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 rank eighth in the Western Conference with 11 points and the Lightning are fourth in the Eastern Conference with 14 points.
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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 | 4.1 | 2nd |
| Goals Allowed | 3 | 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 % | 12.9% | 28th |
| Penalty Kill % | 79.17% | 17th |
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Lightning vs. Avalanche Top Players
Avalanche
- Nathan MacKinnon has been important to Colorado's offense this season, registering 16 points in 10 games.
- Martin Necas is another of Colorado's major contributors currently with 11 total points (five goals and six assists) to his name.
- Through 10 games, Artturi Lehkonen has proven himself as a scoring option for Colorado. He has 11 points (eight goals and three assists).
- In seven games played this season, Mackenzie Blackwood (4-3-0) has given up 20 goals.
Lightning
- Nikita Kucherov has put up 13 points (1.4 per game) for Tampa Bay, with four goals and nine assists in nine games (playing 21:20 per game).
- Brandon Hagel has helped lead the offense for Tampa Bay this season with seven goals and five assists.
- Jake Guentzel's four goals and five assists add up to nine points this season.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy is 5-2-0 this season, compiling 149 saves and allowing 17 goals (2.5 goals against average) with an .898 save percentage (25th in the league).
Lightning vs. Avalanche Injury Report
Avalanche
Zachary L'Heureux: Out (Upper Body),
Nicolas Roy: Out (Lower Body),
Georgii Merkulov: Out (Undisclosed)
Lightning
Yanni Gourde: Out (Hip),
Anthony Cirelli: Day-To-Day (Undisclosed)
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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 |