Avalanche Dominate Flames in Central Division Clash

Colorado looks to continue home dominance against struggling Calgary squad

Apr. 9, 2026 at 5:50am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in bold, contrasting colors representing a hockey game between the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames, with the players and action deconstructed into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes.The Avalanche's home-ice dominance and the Flames' road woes collide in a cubist-inspired depiction of their Central Division clash.Denver Today

The Colorado Avalanche, the top team in the Central Division, host the Calgary Flames in a key NHL matchup on Thursday night. Colorado has been alternating wins and losses over their last seven games, but they have been dominant at home this season. Meanwhile, the Flames have lost three of their last four games and are struggling on the road, ranking 31st in the league in power play percentage and 30th in goals per game.

Why it matters

This game is an important clash between two teams heading in opposite directions. The Avalanche are looking to solidify their position atop the Central, while the Flames are fighting to stay in the playoff race in the Western Conference. Colorado's home-ice advantage and Calgary's road woes could play a big factor in the outcome.

The details

The Avalanche are 24-9-5 at home this season and have won 8 of their last 9 games against the Flames. Colorado has the league's top-ranked offense, scoring 3.73 goals per game, and the league's best defense, allowing just 2.48 goals per game. In contrast, the Flames are just 11-24-4 on the road and rank 30th in the league in goals per game at 2.57. Calgary has allowed 19 goals in their last three losses.

  • The game will be played on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 9:00 pm EDT.
  • Colorado is coming off a 3-1 win over the Blues in their last game, while Calgary lost 4-3 in overtime to the Stars.

The players

Nathan MacKinnon

The Avalanche's leading scorer with 51 goals and 72 assists this season.

Mikael Backlund

The Flames' leading scorer with 16 goals and 25 assists.

Mackenzie Blackwood

The projected starting goaltender for the Avalanche, who is 21-10-1 with a 2.58 goals against average.

Dustin Wolf

The projected starting goaltender for the Flames, who is 22-27-3 with a 3.09 goals against average.

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What they’re saying

“The Avalanche have been dominant at home this season and they should be able to take care of business against the struggling Flames.”

— David Racey, Sports Analyst

What’s next

The Avalanche will look to continue their home dominance and solidify their position atop the Central Division, while the Flames will try to bounce back on the road and keep their playoff hopes alive.

The takeaway

This game pits the league's top offense and defense against a Flames team that has struggled mightily on the road this season. If the Avalanche can continue their home success, they should be able to take care of the Flames and widen their lead in the Central Division.