Colorado Avalanche notebook: Donskoi on first PP unit

Hello from Ball Arena, where the Colorado Avalanche host the Arizona Coyotes for what seems like the 50th time this season. A couple of items of note from an otherwise ordinary morning skate:

Joonas Donskoi is now the pivot man on the first power-play unit, with Nazem Kadri dropping to the second unit. The Avs are currently 12th in the NHL on the power play (22.8%). Kadri has gone four straight games without a point, though his numbers are still pretty good on the season (25 points in 34 games).

Philipp Grubauer will get another start in goal. Hey, as long as Grubi likes the workload and doesn’t get hurt, things are fine with this. But it’s kind of another indictment on the backup goalie situation, isn’t it? Jonas Johansson hasn’t seen the net since the March 23 game he played in Arizona (5-4 shootout loss).

Trade deadline is April 12….

This is your lineup for tonight:

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen

Saad-Kadri-Burakovsky

Nichushkin-Jost-Donskoi

Compher-Bellemare-O’Connor

D

Toews-Makar

Girard-MacDonald

Graves-Renouf

Grubauer in goal

NOTEBOOK: Game is at 7:30 tonight …. Health care workers, first responders, family and friends will be in the stands tonight. Friday’s game, the rest of the general public is allowed in. Or, at least 4,050 of the general public. “We’re looking forward to it,” Jared Bednar said. … Arizona’s Phil Kessel is on a five-game point streak (5-3-8). … The Coyotes are at the start of a nine-game road trip. … Adin Hill will start in goal for Arizona. … Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet also said Drake Caggiula will be replaced in the lineup by Michael Bunting. … Avs are -310 favorites on the moneyline to win outright at SuperBook Colorado, and there is a great big boost in the payout odds if both teams score in the first period, up to +250! Check it out here.