Game Day: Avalanche vs. Red Wings at Ball Arena

The Avs play Detroit on Saturday, and if you're old enough to have a dad who still talks about 1997, you know why that name lands differently. It's at Ball Arena, down in the Central Platte Valley between LoDo and I-25. Our event page lists it for Saturday, November 7, at 7pm, but we couldn't confirm the puck drop anywhere else, so check the event page and your ticket before you plan dinner around it.

This one comes with history. A Denver Gazette column from Nov 1 looks back on when Avs-Red Wings was must-see TV, including the 1997 goalie fight between Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon. Goalies fighting. Imagine.

The matchup

The stars are the story here. ESPN's game page (checked 2026-11-06) lists Nathan MacKinnon with 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) and Alex DeBrincat with 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) for Detroit.

MacKinnon on home ice against a franchise Denver used to genuinely hate is a fine reason to pay attention on a Saturday in November. No predictions here, just watch him skate.

Watching from a bar

Run For The Roses at 1801 Blake St #10 in LoDo is the closest, 0.64 miles from the arena in a straight line. It's tagged as a sports bar with cocktails and bourbon, and it's rated 4.4 stars on Google from 330 reviews (as of 2026-05-02).

Bar 404 at 404 North Broadway calls itself both a local sports bar and an independent music venue. It's $ on Google's price scale and has 4.5 stars from 287 reviews (as of 2026-05-02). It's 2.1 miles out, so it's a stay-in-the-neighborhood pick.

Players Pub at 8 S Broadway in Baker is tagged as a sports bar with local beer, $$ on Google, and 4.5 stars from 249 reviews (as of 2026-05-02). It's 2.49 miles away.

Pregame near the venue

My Brother's Bar at 2376 15th St is 0.53 miles from the arena. It's a cash-only dive tagged for burgers, $ on Google, with 4.5 stars from 2,965 reviews (as of 2026-05-02). Bring cash.

If you want a real dinner, Tavernetta at 1889 16th St Mall is 0.43 miles away. It's Italian with pasta and wine, $$$ on Google, with 4.6 stars from 2,511 reviews (as of 2026-05-02). Book ahead on a game night.

Getting there and home

RTD's station page (checked 2026-11-06) says light rail C, E and W stop at Ball Arena•Elitch Gardens Station, 1700 9th Street. There's no RTD parking at the station, so don't plan on parking there.

Bus routes 1, 15L and 20 stop at Auraria Parkway and 7th/9th Street, per RTD's November 2026 events page. Check the RTD trip planner for late trains before the third period ends.