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The Colorado Avalanche are riding high with a 33-4-7 record and an unprecedented home undefeated streak, but they will turn to an unlikely hero Monday night against the surging Toronto Maple Leafs. Rookie goaltender Trent Miner, fresh off recording his first career NHL win and shutout against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, will get the start as the Avalanche look to extend their franchise-best 18-game home winning streak. With Scott Wedgewood dealing with a minor injury and Mackenzie Blackwood still on IR, Miner gets another chance to prove he belongs at hockey's highest level.

A Shutout Start to Remember

Miner became the 17th goalie in NHL history to record a shutout in his first career win when he stopped all 29 shots against Columbus at Ball Arena on Saturday in a 4-0 victory. The 24-year-old seventh-round pick from the 2019 draft has taken a long road to reach this point, grinding through the ECHL and AHL over several seasons with the Colorado organization. Prior to Saturday's breakthrough performance, Miner had an 0-1-2 record in three NHL appearances, stopping 40 of 44 shots in games that ended in overtime or a shootout loss. Now, head coach Jared Bednar has rewarded his perseverance with back-to-back starts.

A Test Against Toronto's Hot Streak

While shutting out the last-place Blue Jackets is one thing, facing the Maple Leafs presents an entirely different challenge. Toronto has been on fire lately, going 7-0-2 in their last nine games with stars like Auston Matthews posting six goals and two assists in his last five outings. The Leafs also boast red-hot goaltender Joseph Woll, who is 5-0-1 in his last six decisions and coming off a shutout of the Vancouver Canucks. Woll's .921 save percentage ranks fourth in the NHL, just behind Blackwood's .924 mark. For Miner, this game represents a massive step up in competition and an opportunity to show he can handle the league's elite offenses.

Wedgewood is expected to back up Miner despite dealing with what Bednar described as something minor. The 33-year-old veteran has been a mentor to the young goalie, sharing advice about waiting for opportunities and making the most of them when they arrive. Wedgewood himself followed a similar path, spending his first full professional season largely in the ECHL before eventually establishing himself as a reliable NHL netminder. In 10 games with the Colorado Eagles this season, Miner posted a 2.40 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage, showing steady improvement before earning his recall.

"He's a relentless worker and he's a battler. Goalies may be a little bit different, but you can pretty much guarantee that the guys that come out of the ECHL and make their way to the NHL are battlers who give it everything they got."

Colorado enters the game with a staggering plus-80 goal differential and a 12-point lead over the second-place Dallas Stars in the overall standings. The Avalanche are 19-0-2 at home this season, with both losses coming via shootout back in October. For Miner, the opportunity to protect that fortress while his team chases history is the kind of moment young goalies dream about. Whether he can replicate his Saturday heroics against a much tougher opponent will go a long way in determining his future with the organization.

This is Christopher Hodgson from TheBigFaceoff