### Avalanche to Open 2024-25 Season Against Golden Knights in Las Vegas

By Coby Maeir / ColoradoAvalanche.com

The Colorado Avalanche are set to kick off the 2024-25 NHL season with a clash against a well-known rival, the Vegas Golden Knights, at the T-Mobile Arena. This season opener promises to be an exciting match as two top teams from the Western Conference face off.

Since the Golden Knights' debut in the NHL in the 2017-18 season, both teams have consistently been among the league's elite. Over the past seven seasons, the Avalanche have achieved the third-highest regular-season points percentage (.647), while the Golden Knights hold the sixth-best points percentage (.627). Both teams boast impressive postseason records, with the Avalanche making playoff appearances in each of the past seven years, while the Golden Knights have qualified six times. Each franchise has also secured a Stanley Cup victory during this period.

The Avalanche may see some fresh faces in their lineup on Wednesday. Forwards Calum Ritchie and Ivan Ivan are poised to potentially make their NHL debuts. Ritchie, the 27th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had a stellar season with the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals, scoring 80 points (28 goals, 52 assists) in 50 regular-season games. Ivan, entering his second professional season, tallied 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 67 regular-season games for the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche's AHL affiliate.

Additionally, forward Nikolai Kovalenko might make his regular-season NHL debut. Kovalenko, who played in two playoff games in the 2023-24 season, accumulated 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists) in 42 regular-season games for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL.

In the previous season, both the Avalanche and the Golden Knights qualified for the playoffs, with Colorado finishing the season with 107 points and Vegas with 98 points. Their head-to-head matchups were closely contested, each team winning once in regulation, and the Golden Knights securing the series win in overtime.

As the 2024-25 NHL season begins, fans can look forward to a thrilling game that will undoubtedly set the tone for what promises to be an exciting year for both teams.