The main characters didn't have to be the best players. The Colorado Avalanche are that good.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
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CBJ GOALS: |
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Trent Miner made all 29 saves for his first career win and shutout as the Avalanche continued their league mastery with a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon at Ball Arena.
Colorado has won 17 straight games at home and is 19-0-2 there.
Burns scored twice for the Avalanche. Victor Olofsson had two points with a goal and an assist, and Ilya Solovyov scored his first career goal. Parker Kelly and Gavin Brindley each had two assists.
Miner made his third start this season — the fifth of his career — and first start since Oct. 26.
The Avalanche are the best team in the sport, with a league-best 74 points and a 33-4-7 mark. After dropping consecutive regulation losses earlier in the week for the first time all season, they drummed the Ottawa Senators 8-2 on Thursday.
Head coach Dean Evason changed his lineup, putting center Charlie Coyle on the right side of Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko on the left wing. Zach Werenski left warmup early but returned and was able to play. Elvis Merzlikins made his first start since Dec. 20, exactly three weeks to the day. He made 27 saves.
The 40-year-old Burns scored first for the Avalanche in the first period. Four Blue Jackets players were all around Merzlikins, and the former Blue Jacket Gavin Brindley drove the puck to the net, forcing Danton Heinen into Merzlikins, as Burns got it past for the goal.
The second goal came following a board battle deep in the Blue Jackets' zone, with the Avalanche gaining possession and Olofsson getting the tally.
Solovyov's first career marker beat Merzlikins on a slapshot from the faceoff circle to the goaltender's right to make it 3-0 in the second period. Burns scored his second goal of the game in the third period, making it 4-0.
“I really like the way we played, Zach Werenski said. “There’s bad losses and losses you can be upset about, and rightfully so. But I feel like today against a team like that, outside of not scoring for us, I feel like we played hard. If we play hard like that, that’s our standard. Just got to score now. It sucks, obviously, but I like the way we worked.”
Here's how Columbus, now 18-19-7, came up on the wrong end of the scoreboard in Denver:
1st Period:
(13:58 — COL Goal): Burns' seventh goal of the season in the first period opened the scoring for the Avalanche. Assists went to Ross Colton (15) and Brindley (5).
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Until it works actually. pic.twitter.com/hHIwomb0C0
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 10, 2026
(17:28 — COL Goal): Olofsson (8) extended the Avs' lead. Jack Drury (8) and Kelly (7) assisted.
Olofsson adds on pic.twitter.com/SGo2CuKPfH
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 10, 2026
2nd Period:
(10:30 — COL Goal): Solovyov (1) scored his first career goal, giving the Avalanche a 3-0 lead. He just straight fired it past Merzlikins. Kelly (8) and Olofsson (13) each picked up the assists for their second points of the game.
FIRST NHL GOAL FOR ILYA SOLOVYOV pic.twitter.com/2D7QAxsNvA
— NHL (@NHL) January 10, 2026
3rd Period:
(8:33 — COL Goal): Burns' second of the game (8) made it 4-0. Zakhar Bardakov (7) and Brindley (6) assisted.
Another one for Brent Burns pic.twitter.com/qL7KpGVEAK
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 10, 2026
| CBJ | GAME STATS | COL |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | SHOTS | 31 |
| 46.8% | FACEOFFS | 53.2% |
| 0/2 | POWER PLAY | 0/2 |
| 2/2 | PENALTY KILL | 2/2 |
| 18 | HITS | 6 |
| 14 | GIVEAWAYS | 10 |
| 2 | TAKEAWAYS | 3 |
| 22 | BLOCKED SHOTS | 17 |
| ALL SITUATIONS ADVANCED STATS | ||
| 72 | SHOT ATTEMPTS | 69 |
| 35 | SCORING CHANCES | 35 |
| 14 | HIGH-DANGER CHANCES | 14 |
| Data via NHL.com & NaturalStatTrick.com | ||
Stat Chat:
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The winning team in the series between the Blue Jackets and Avalanche has scored at least 4 or more goals in nine straight games and 14 of the previous 15 games.
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For the first time since April 1, 2024, Cale Makar did not register a point against the Blue Jackets, breaking a three-game point streak (two goals, five assists) versus Columbus.
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Nathan MacKinnon had a game-high eight shots on goal.
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Saturday's shutout loss is the second time this season the Blue Jackets have failed to score a goal (Dec. 7 in Washington). Miner is the second goaltender in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to record a shutout in his first career NHL win.
- The Avalanche are one more home win away from matching their franchise-best 18 straight home wins set in 2021-22, when they won the Stanley Cup. The 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings have the NHL record for the longest home winning streak (23 games).
Up Next:
The Blue Jackets are back in action on Sunday when they take on the Utah Mammoth. Puck-drop is slated for 7 p.m.
