Avalanche Game 27 at Carolina Hurricanes, Wedgewood’s First Start! Lines, Notes, & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (14-12-0) continue their five-game road trip with a matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes (16-8-1). Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT.

READ MORE: 10 Observations From the Avalanche’s Massive Come-From-Behind Victory vs Buffalo (+)

The last time these two teams met in November, the Hurricanes were riding an eight-game winning streak and jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Avs at Ball Arena. But as is usually the case, the top superstars took control, and the Avs, led by Nathan MacKinnon (1 goal, 3 assists), Mikko Rantanen (1 goal, 1 assist), and Cale Makar (1 goal) exploded for five goals in the second period to eventually defeat the Canes 6-4.

Carolina isn’t entering this game on a lengthy winning streak — it’s actually the opposite. Rod Brind’Amour’s club has lost three in a row, all in regulation, and is coming off a bad loss to the Seattle Kraken. The expectation for them is to stop the bleeding and bounce back against Colorado. But they’ll have to figure out their goaltending first.

Carolina recently signed Dustin Tokarski, who didn’t play in the NHL in 2023-24, to a one-year contract. The Canes are missing starter Frederik Andersen, but Pyotr Kochetkov recently returned from concussion protocol. The Russian netminder was in goal in the loss to Seattle.

The Avs’ last game was a tale of two performances. First, they let in four goals in 12 minutes with a struggling Alexandar Georgiev in goal. Then they scored five times the rest of the way after Scott Wedgewood entered in relief and was perfect in stopping all 22 shots he faced. Wedgewood is getting his first start with the Avalanche since being acquired from the Nashville Predators last weekend.

Season Series

• Nov. 9 vs Carolina Hurricanes (W, 6-4)
• Dec. 5 at Carolina Hurricanes

Avalanche Injuries

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

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

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

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

Scott Wedgewood
Alexandar Georgiev

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Confirmed: Scott Wedgewood (COL)
• Unconfirmed: Pyotr Kochetkov (CAR)

Upcoming Milestones

• Nathan MacKinnon — needs 6 assists for 600, 4 PPG for 100
• Cale Makar — needs 6 goals for 100
• Mikko Rantanen — needs 4 games for 600, 3 PPG for 100

How to Watch