The Colorado Avalanche look like the team to beat this season, full stop.
Right now, the Avs are projected as favorites to win the Stanley Cup, and given their commanding lead, points-wise, as compared to the rest of the NHL, it's hard to disagree. Not only that, but Colorado is primed to sweep some of the major awards, with Nathan MacKinnon the favorite to win the Hart Trophy and Cale Makar looking destined to take home the Norris Trophy. Not to mention, the Avalanche got off to a 19-1-6 start through 26 games, putting them on pace to potentially break the Boston Bruins single-season points record of 135.
All of that is to say, things are going good and got even better -- and historic -- this week.
Facing the Nashville Predaors, the Avalanche trailed 3-2 in the closing seconds of regulation. The Avalanche had a 6-on-4 situation after Makar was tripped by Predators forward Erik Haula. With eight seconds remaining, Makar faked out Michael McCarron to score a goal to tie the game up at 3-3 and send it into overtime.
MAKAR TIES IT IN MUSIC CITY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/gnjU9lBGFS
— NHL (@NHL) December 10, 2025
Yes, the Avalanche did ultimately lose the game 4-3 in the shootout. But even with this loss, the Avalanche made the NHL history books.
Avalanche join NHL history books after Cale Makar's game-tying goal vs. Predators
It just so happens that on Tuesday night, the Avalanche weren't the only team to score a game-tying goal in the dying seconds of regulation. Three other games featured game-tying goals in the final 15 seconds of regulation: the Edmonton Oilers against the Buffalo Sabres, the Vegas Golden Knights against the New York Islanders, and the Anaheim Ducks against the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is now the first time in NHL history that four games on the same day featured tying goals in the final 15 seconds of regulation.
Out of the four games, the Avalanche's game-tying goal sits third in terms of closest to the end of regulation. Pavel Dorofeyev tied the Golden Knights' game against the Islanders with 14 seconds remaining. Connor McDavid tied the game for Edmonton with two seconds left. Finally, Beckett Senneke tied Anaheim's game against Pittsburgh with just one second left.
Out of the four teams, Anaheim was the only team to pick up a win in extra time, thanks in part to a shootout-winning goal by young star Leo Carlsson. The Oilers lost 4-3 to the Sabres, while the Golden Knights lost 5-4 to the Islanders.
While Avalanche fans would have loved it if the team picked up a win, but they still have the lead for most points in a season with 49 through 30 games. But, the Dallas Stars are not far behind them with 47 points through 31 games.