Avalanche Game 25 vs Edmonton Oilers, Lines, Notes, & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (13-11-0) are set to face the Edmonton Oilers (12-9-2) for the first time this season in the second leg of a back-to-back for both teams. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT.

The Avs made a trade early Saturday morning, sending backup goalie Justus Annunen and a sixth-round draft pick to the Nashville Predators for goalie Scott Wedgewood. Annunen last appeared on Monday in relief where he surrendered three goals on six shots to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While nothing is confirmed, the Avs are probably working to get Wedgewood to Colorado as soon as possible so he can backup starting goalie Alexandar Georgiev against Edmonton.

On Friday, the Avalanche fell 5-3 to the Dallas Stars in a tough road game the day after Thanksgiving. The Avs struggled early, couldn’t get much going on the power play following their first goal from Valeri Nichushkin, and were unable to complete a third-period comeback. They trailed 4-1 through 40 minutes before a valiant effort to knot things up. Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen scored in the first 8:03 of the third period. On the very next shift, Colorado got a power-play opportunity for a chance to tie the game but failed to generate any high-danger opportunities.

The Stars shut the Avalanche down the rest of the way and added an empty-net goal to pull ahead 5-3 in the first of three matchups between the two division rivals.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of the loss was Colorado facing yet another injury. After losing Jonathan Drouin, Miles Wood, and Oliver Kylington over the last week, the Avs lost defenseman Josh Manson in the second period. Head coach Jared Bednar did not have any further updates on Manson’s status following the loss but expressed his frustration with the team’s brutal injury luck.

Manson collided with the boards and seemed to be hurt in the arm, hand, or wrist area. He instantly dropped his stick and glove and skated off the ice and straight down the tunnel. It’s unclear at this time if Manson is going to be available against the Oilers. The Avs are not having a morning skating.

Edmonton enters the matchup coming off a 4-3 overtime victory against Utah Hockey Club at Delta Center on Friday. Unlike the Avs, the Oilers were able to complete their multi-goal comeback, trailing 2-0 before fighting back to force OT. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl led the way as they so often do, pitching in with a goal and an assist, each. Albeit neither of them were in on the game-winner which was an unassisted tally by Ryan Nugen-Hopkins.

READ MORE: Injuries Pile on as Avalanche’s Third Period Comeback Falls Short in Dallas

Season Series

• Nov. 30 vs Edmonton Oilers
• Jan. 16 vs Edmonton Oilers
• Feb. 7 at Edmonton Oilers

Avalanche Injuries

• Josh Manson (upper body, TBD)
• Oliver Kylington (undisclosed)
• Miles Wood (upper body, IR)
• Jonathan Drouin (upper body, week-to-week)
• Ross Colton (foot, 6-8 weeks)
• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

Mikko Rantanen — Nathan MacKinnon — Valeri Nichushkin
Nikolai Kovalenko — Casey Mittelstadt — Artturi Lehkonen
Joel Kiviranta – Ivan Ivan – Logan O’Connor
Nikita Prishchepov — Parker Kelly — Chris Wagner

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski
Calvin de Haan — John Ludvig

Alexandar Georgiev
Scott Wedgewood

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Unconfirmed: Alexandar Georgiev (COL)
• Unconfirmed: Stuart Skinner (EDM)

Upcoming Milestones

• Samuel Girard — needs 1 game for 500
• Nathan MacKinnon — needs 7 assists for 600, 4 PPG for 100
• Cale Makar — needs 6 goals for 100
• Mikko Rantanen — needs 6 games for 600, 3 PPG for 100

How to Watch