Avalanche Lines and D Pairs against Columbus tonight, betting lines

The second of the barn-to-barn meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets happens tonight at Nationwide Arena, and the Avalanche really want to get this one. Not only to give Columbus some payback for that 5-4 overtime loss to the CBJ, but to go into something of a bye-week mini-break with a better-than-.500 record.

The Avs will get Devon Toews, Mikko Rantanen and Andre Burakovsky back to their lineup for this one.

“I’m excited to get those guys back, get our top line back together,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Toews is a big piece of our lineup, been missing him. He’s a complete defenseman. Has the whole package. Brings that poise and presence. Hopefully, Cale (Makar) can join our team soon too.”

Makar (upper body) could return for next Thursday’s game against Vancouver, Bednar said.

Said Toews: “It’s nice to be back. To get in the lineup and help the team, we gotta get back on track. The answers are in our room. Rehabbing an injury is a process. It was a pretty standard rehab.”

While Bednar did not specify all his lines and D pairs, this is the likely formation:

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen

O’Connor-Kadri-Burakovsky

Jost-Compher-Sherwood

Helm-Megna-Ranta

D

Toews-Girard

Byram-E. Johnson

J.Johnson-Murray

Kuemper

Notes: Patrik Laine will miss the game for Columbus. He’s out 4-6 weeks with an injury. Max Domi (Covid protocol) also is out. … Avs are a -174 favorite to win on the moneyline at SuperBook Colorado. … Elvis Merzlikins will start in goal for Columbus.