Colorado AvalancheCOL 2–5 Final Ottawa SenatorsOTT

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Final 1st2nd3rd T SOG
Colorado AvalancheCOL 011 2 18
Ottawa SenatorsOTT 023 5 23

No impact calculated for this game. Impacts are calculated for games in the next 7 days.

Highlights

Scoring

1st Period
No scoring
2nd Period
3:21 OTT Nick Cousins (7) Artem Zub (14), Tim Stützle (31) · backhand xG 0.09 0–1 ▶
14:05 COL Parker Kelly (11) Brock Nelson (19), Keaton Middleton (1) · snap xG 0.11 1–1 ▶
14:22 OTT Ridly Greig (9) Tyler Kleven (9), Jordan Spence (13) · wrist xG 0.14 1–2 ▶
3rd Period
2:06 OTT Claude Giroux (10) Drake Batherson (26), Nick Jensen (11) · wrist xG 0.11 1–3 ▶
3:30 COL Valeri Nichushkin (12) Jack Drury (9) · backhand xG 0.26 2–3 ▶
17:44 OTT Brady Tkachuk (13)EN Jake Sanderson (32) · wrist xG 0.65 2–4 ▶
18:53 OTT Tim Stützle (24)EN Thomas Chabot (17), Artem Zub (15) · wrist xG 0.93 2–5 ▶

Score away–home after each goal; season totals in parentheses.

Shot quality

Expected goals (xG) rate every unblocked shot by how often shots like it go in, from where it was taken, the shot type, the strength and what happened just before it. How it works

COL 36%Deserve to win64% OTT
COLOTT
1.92Expected goals4.83
2Goals (no shootout)5
1.62Expected goals, 5 on 51.87
48Shot attempts45
37Unblocked attempts33
18Shots on goal23

Game notes

What stood out as the game went on, from the play-by-play and the shifts. Time on the bench is counted in 5-on-5 play outside the penalty box; the note says the player sat, not why. Goals saved are against the shots' expected goals (xG).

3rd Period
4:10 OTT No shift No shift · Bourgault, 22:29 on the bench
No shift from 14:05 of the 2nd to 18:53 of the 3rd; 7 shifts (4:05) before that
7:30 COL No shift No shift · Makar, 19:58 on the bench
No shift after 17:24 of the 2nd; 8 shifts (5:30) before that
7:30 COL No shift No shift · Brindley, 12:49 on the bench
No shift from 17:23 of the 2nd to 10:12 of the 3rd; 7 shifts (5:49) before that
16:12 COL Pulled goalie Pulled goalie · Pulled Blackwood, down 3–2
With 3:48 left; OTT scored at 17:44 of the 3rd (2–4)
18:06 COL Pulled goalie Pulled goalie · Pulled Blackwood, down 4–2
With 1:54 left; OTT scored at 18:53 of the 3rd (2–5)

Shot map

COL shoots ←Bigger circle: higher xG; filled: goal→ OTT shoots
Brady Tkachuk: snap, 41 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 0:09) Brady Tkachuk: wrist, 32 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 0:23) Jake Sanderson: wrist, 64 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 1:11) Drake Batherson: tip-in, 11 ft, xG 0.12 (P1 1:54) Thomas Chabot: wrist, 58 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 2:36) Xavier Bourgault: wrap-around, 4 ft, xG 0.07 (P1 4:23) Jordan Spence: slap, 57 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 4:27) Tim Stützle: wrist, 15 ft, xG 0.06 (P1 5:30) Shane Pinto: backhand, 30 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 6:35) Sam Malinski: slap, 46 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 7:05) Sam Malinski: wrist, 50 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 7:15) Claude Giroux: wrist, 54 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 13:02) Cale Makar: wrist, 60 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 15:43) Artem Zub: wrist, 57 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 16:10) Nathan MacKinnon: backhand, 19 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 16:38) Claude Giroux: wrist, 6 ft, xG 0.19 (P1 18:21) Dylan Cozens: snap, 35 ft, xG 0.10 (P1 18:28) Brady Tkachuk: slap, 35 ft, xG 0.09 (P1 19:09) Cale Makar: wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 1:09) Nick Cousins: wrist, 17 ft, xG 0.14 (P2 1:40) Martin Necas: wrist, 28 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 5:15) Thomas Chabot: wrist, 23 ft, xG 0.14 (P2 7:24) Brady Tkachuk: wrist, 18 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 7:25) Ridly Greig: tip-in, 19 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 7:34) Sam Malinski: wrist, 32 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 7:56) Parker Kelly: wrist, 10 ft, xG 0.17 (P2 8:44) Claude Giroux: wrist, 5 ft, xG 0.03 (P2 9:37) Brady Tkachuk: snap, 28 ft, xG 0.16 (P2 10:51) Tim Stützle: wrist, 24 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 11:00) Artem Zub: slap, 68 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 12:17) Brent Burns: wrist, 43 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 13:11) Victor Olofsson: wrist, 6 ft, xG 0.23 (P2 13:13) Cale Makar: slap, 61 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 17:43) Cale Makar: wrist, 24 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 17:50) Victor Olofsson: tip-in, 15 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 0:34) Josh Manson: wrist, 44 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 1:45) Josh Manson: slap, 60 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 1:49) Cale Makar: wrist, 46 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 2:13) Valeri Nichushkin: snap, 52 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 3:22) Zakhar Bardakov: wrap-around, 4 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 4:36) Cale Makar: wrist, 18 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 6:30) Valeri Nichushkin: backhand, 7 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 6:31) Valeri Nichushkin: backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 6:32) Tyler Kleven: slap, 58 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 7:21) Brent Burns: snap, 72 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 9:19) Zakhar Bardakov: wrist, 61 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 9:23) Gavin Brindley: wrist, 47 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 10:25) Claude Giroux: backhand, 12 ft, xG 0.16 (P3 11:17) Victor Olofsson: wrist, 35 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 11:27) Josh Manson: slap, 61 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 11:32) Fabian Zetterlund: wrist, 25 ft, xG 0.17 (P3 11:40) Nick Cousins: tip-in, 12 ft, xG 0.10 (P3 12:27) Martin Necas: wrist, 51 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 15:14) Victor Olofsson: wrist, 44 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 15:49) Josh Manson: wrist, 69 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 16:10) Nathan MacKinnon: wrist, 36 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 16:32) Victor Olofsson: wrist, 43 ft, xG 0.05 (P3 16:49) Michael Amadio: wrist, 54 ft, xG 0.61 (P3 16:57) Victor Olofsson: wrist, 41 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 17:18) Jack Drury: wrist, 18 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 18:06) Parker Kelly: wrist, 5 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 18:07) Nathan MacKinnon: wrist, 27 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 18:32) Lars Eller: wrist, 6 ft, xG 0.42 (P3 19:22) Nick Cousins: GOAL, backhand, 14 ft, xG 0.09 (P2 3:21) Parker Kelly: GOAL, snap, 32 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 14:05) Ridly Greig: GOAL, wrist, 21 ft, xG 0.14 (P2 14:22) Claude Giroux: GOAL, wrist, 26 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 2:06) Valeri Nichushkin: GOAL, backhand, 10 ft, xG 0.26 (P3 3:30) Brady Tkachuk: GOAL, wrist, 102 ft, xG 0.65 (P3 17:44) Tim Stützle: GOAL, wrist, 11 ft, xG 0.93 (P3 18:53)
About these numbers

xG comes from hockeystats.io's own model, a gradient-boosted tree model trained on every unblocked shot from the 2021-22 to 2025-26 regular seasons using the NHL's public play-by-play. Each shot's value is the share of similar shots that became goals. A team's xG is the sum over its shots; "deserve to win" asks how often the team would outscore its opponent if every shot went in at exactly that rate. Blocked shots count as attempts but have no xG (the NHL records where they were blocked, not where they were taken), so the map leaves them out.

Box score

Colorado Avalanche

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
29 Nathan MacKinnon 000 -3 30.12 0123:36
88 Martin Necas 000 -3 30.06 3022:37
11 Brock Nelson 011 -2 00.00 0122:23
62 Artturi Lehkonen 000 +1 10.00 2016:51
43 Valeri Nichushkin 101 -1 50.35 1115:59
18 Jack Drury 011 -1 20.04 2015:23
95 Victor Olofsson 000 -2 60.41 0015:22
17 Parker Kelly 101 -1 50.34 2114:04
22 Joel Kiviranta 000 -1 00.00 1210:34
54 Gavin Brindley 000 0 20.03 1107:36
16 Taylor Makar 000 0 00.00 1005:30
93 Zakhar Bardakov 000 0 20.05 1004:42
Defense
8 Cale Makar 000 -2 80.31 0327:22
84 Brent Burns 000 0 20.02 0021:45
70 Sam Malinski 000 0 40.13 1120:52
42 Josh Manson 000 -1 40.08 4019:48
49 Samuel Girard 000 -1 10.00 2017:04
67 Keaton Middleton 011 0 00.00 3009:16
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Mackenzie Blackwood 21318 .857 2.65 -0.35

Ottawa Senators

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
12 Shane Pinto 000 0 10.01 1122:19
22 Michael Amadio 000 +1 10.61 1220:13
71 Ridly Greig 101 +2 20.18 1018:45
18 Tim Stützle 112 +3 51.08 1018:28
28 Claude Giroux 101 +2 50.50 0017:34
21 Nick Cousins 101 +1 30.33 3116:44
19 Drake Batherson 000 0 10.12 1016:08
8 Brady Tkachuk 101 +1 71.02 1015:12
24 Dylan Cozens 000 0 10.10 1014:44
20 Fabian Zetterlund 000 0 40.17 2011:09
20 Lars Eller 000 0 10.42 0007:07
53 Xavier Bourgault 000 -1 20.07 2004:05
Defense
85 Jake Sanderson 011 +2 20.01 4224:43
2 Artem Zub 011 +3 30.02 2121:55
72 Thomas Chabot 011 0 40.17 1221:24
4 Nick Jensen 011 0 00.00 2017:04
10 Jordan Spence 011 +1 20.02 2213:59
43 Tyler Kleven 011 0 10.01 4112:52
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
James Reimer 18216 .889 1.92 -0.08

Skaters by time on ice. Goalie lines count shots with the goalie in net, from the NHL play-by-play.

Player ratings

What each player added to the result, in goals, from most to least. Hover a number for what it's made of.

Colorado Avalanche

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
13 Valeri Nichushkin R +1.33 +0.75 +0.23 +0.28 0.00 0.00 +0.07 — 15:59
17 Parker Kelly C +0.97 +0.75 +0.22 -0.01 0.00 -0.02 +0.03 — 14:04
84 Brent Burns D +0.56 0.00 +0.01 +0.61 0.00 0.00 -0.06 — 21:45
8 Cale Makar D +0.39 0.00 +0.20 +0.04 0.00 0.00 +0.15 — 27:22
95 Victor Olofsson L +0.35 0.00 +0.26 +0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 15:22
62 Artturi Lehkonen L +0.35 0.00 0.00 +0.53 -0.15 -0.01 -0.02 — 16:51
11 Brock Nelson C +0.34 +0.70 0.00 -0.37 0.00 -0.02 +0.03 — 22:23
29 Nathan MacKinnon C +0.22 0.00 +0.08 +0.05 0.00 +0.08 +0.01 — 23:36
93 Zakhar Bardakov C +0.18 0.00 +0.03 +0.16 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 4:42
18 Jack Drury C -0.04 +0.70 +0.02 -0.87 0.00 +0.10 0.00 — 16:30
70 Sam Malinski D -0.11 0.00 +0.08 -0.05 -0.15 0.00 +0.01 — 20:52
49 Samuel Girard D -0.12 0.00 0.00 -0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 17:04
88 Martin Necas C -0.16 0.00 +0.04 -0.14 0.00 0.00 -0.06 — 22:37
16 Taylor Makar L -0.18 0.00 0.00 -0.02 -0.15 -0.01 0.00 — 5:30
67 Keaton Middleton D -0.28 +0.55 0.00 -0.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 10:23
39 Mackenzie Blackwood G -0.35 0.00 — — 0.00 — — -0.35 57:41
94 Joel Kiviranta L -0.38 0.00 0.00 -0.48 0.00 0.00 +0.10 — 11:41
42 Josh Manson D -0.44 0.00 +0.05 -0.49 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 20:55
54 Gavin Brindley C -0.49 0.00 +0.02 -0.51 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 8:43

Ottawa Senators

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
18 Tim Stützle C +2.09 +1.30 +0.70 +0.07 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 18:28
2 Artem Zub D +1.64 +1.25 +0.01 +0.30 0.00 0.00 +0.07 — 21:55
7 Brady Tkachuk L +1.43 +0.75 +0.66 -0.01 0.00 +0.01 +0.02 — 15:12
71 Ridly Greig C +1.40 +0.75 +0.12 +0.58 0.00 -0.03 -0.02 — 18:45
21 Nick Cousins C +1.26 +0.75 +0.21 +0.25 0.00 +0.01 +0.03 — 16:44
10 Jordan Spence D +1.25 +0.55 +0.02 +0.59 0.00 0.00 +0.10 — 15:06
28 Claude Giroux R +1.14 +0.75 +0.32 +0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 17:34
43 Tyler Kleven D +1.08 +0.70 +0.01 +0.32 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 13:59
72 Thomas Chabot D +0.85 +0.70 +0.11 -0.16 +0.15 0.00 +0.05 — 21:24
19 Drake Batherson R +0.73 +0.70 +0.08 -0.18 +0.15 0.00 -0.02 — 16:08
89 Lars Eller C +0.70 0.00 +0.27 +0.45 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 8:14
85 Jake Sanderson D +0.69 +0.70 +0.01 -0.01 0.00 0.00 -0.01 — 24:43
20 Fabian Zetterlund L +0.49 0.00 +0.11 +0.36 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 12:16
3 Nick Jensen D +0.35 +0.55 0.00 -0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 17:04
24 Dylan Cozens C +0.21 0.00 +0.06 +0.18 0.00 -0.03 0.00 — 14:44
22 Michael Amadio R +0.21 0.00 +0.39 -0.27 0.00 0.00 +0.08 — 20:13
53 Xavier Bourgault R +0.06 0.00 +0.04 +0.04 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 5:12
47 James Reimer G -0.08 0.00 — — 0.00 — — -0.08 60:00
12 Shane Pinto C -0.29 0.00 +0.01 -0.27 0.00 -0.08 +0.05 — 22:19

An expected-goals take on Dom Luszczyszyn's Game Score: goals and assists, the quality of a player's own shots, shot quality for and against while they were on the ice at 5v5, penalties, faceoffs and puck plays, all in goals; goalies by goals saved above expected. From the NHL play-by-play and shift charts.