You’re staring at the clock, checking the fridge for a cold one, and wondering if you have enough time to run to the store before puck drop. We've all been there. Figuring out what time is the avalanche game shouldn't feel like solving a quadratic equation, but between Mountain Time shifts, national TV blackouts, and those annoying "TBD" playoff slots, it’s a mess.
Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche are scheduled to take the ice at 7:00 PM MST (9:00 PM EST).
Doors at Ball Arena usually swing open an hour before that, so if you're heading down to Chopper Circle, you better be in your seat by 6:45 PM if you want to catch the pre-game projections on the ice. They’re honestly some of the best in the league. Nathan MacKinnon doesn't wait for latecomers, and neither should you.
Why the Start Time Always Feels Like a Guessing Game
If you’ve noticed the game hasn't actually started when the clock hits 7:00, you aren't crazy. The NHL is notorious for "puck drop" vs. "broadcast start."
Basically, the TV broadcast begins at the top of the hour. Then you get the national anthem. Then you get three minutes of Mike Haynes or the national crew breaking down Cale Makar’s skating edges. Actual hockey usually starts about 8 to 12 minutes after the listed time. If it’s a TNT or ESPN national broadcast? Add another five minutes. They love their pre-game banter.
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Mountain Time is the perennial middle child of sports broadcasting. We aren't quite "After Dark" like the Vegas or Kings games, but we're too late for the New York crowd to stay awake for the third period. This results in those weird 7:30 PM starts that ruin your sleep schedule on a Tuesday.
Regional Blackouts: The Scourge of Denver Sports
Honestly, the biggest hurdle isn't knowing what time is the avalanche game, it's finding the channel. The ongoing dispute between Altitude Sports and major cable providers like Comcast/Xfinity has turned local fans into amateur hackers.
If you are in the Denver metro area, you probably know the drill. Unless you have DirecTV, FuboTV, or a very specific VPN setup, that 7:00 PM start time might as well be a suggestion.
- Altitude Sports: The home for almost every non-national game.
- ESPN+: Great for out-of-market fans, but if you live in Colorado, you're getting "This content is blackout restricted."
- TNT/TBS/ABC: These are the "Gold" games. No blackouts, no fuss.
The 2025-2026 Schedule Flow
The Avalanche tend to stick to a rhythm. Most home games at Ball Arena are 7:00 PM starts. When they head out on a road trip to the East Coast—think Boston or Florida—you're looking at 5:00 PM or 5:30 PM MST starts. It’s actually kinda nice; you can finish the game and still have time to watch a movie before bed.
Then there are the dreaded Western Canada trips.
Vancouver and Seattle games often don't start until 8:00 PM or 8:30 PM MST. If the game goes to overtime? You're looking at a midnight finish. For a team built on speed like the Avs, these late-night starts can be grueling, especially on the back half of a back-to-back.
Checking the "Live" Status
If you’re reading this and it’s a Saturday, double-check for a matinee. The NHL loves putting the Avs on at 1:00 PM or 3:00 PM MST for "Hockey Day in America" or various European-friendly broadcast windows. Valeri Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen seem to play just as well in the sunlight as they do under the LEDs, but it’ll catch you off guard if you’re expecting a night game.
What to Watch for During Warmups
If you do manage to tune in or show up early, watch the goalie. Alexandar Georgiev’s routine is meticulous. If he’s the first one off the ice after warmups, he’s your starter. If there’s a "late scratch," it usually leaks on X (formerly Twitter) about 20 minutes before the official what time is the avalanche game countdown ends.
Keep an eye on the defensive pairings too. With the way Jared Bednar likes to blend lines, the defensive pairs during the 20-minute warmup clock are the only honest look you'll get at the game plan.
How to Get the Most Out of Game Night
Don't just watch the scoreboard. The Avs are a puck-possession monster.
If you're betting on the game or just playing fantasy, the first five minutes of the second period are statistically where Colorado exerts the most pressure. The "long change" in the second period favors their elite conditioning.
- Check the Injury Report: Gabriel Landeskog’s status is always the elephant in the room. His presence (or lack thereof) changes the power play entry entirely.
- Sync Your Audio: If you hate the national announcers, mute the TV and pull up Conor McGahey on the Altitude Radio Network. You’ll have to pause your TV for a few seconds to sync the delay, but his "Mountain Majesty" calls are worth the effort.
The best way to stay updated is to sync the official Avalanche calendar to your Google or iCal. It auto-adjusts for your time zone. No more Googling what time is the avalanche game while you're standing in line at the grocery store.
Head over to the NHL App or the Altitude website right now and verify tonight’s specific broadcast partner. If it’s on ESPN+, turn on your VPN and set it to a city like Dallas or Chicago to bypass the local blackout. Make sure your jerseys are clean and your remote has fresh batteries. The Western Conference standings are tighter than ever this year, and every point counts toward home-ice advantage in the playoffs.