Avalanche Game 38 vs Winnipeg Jets, Drouin Returns & Parssinen Debuts! Lines, Notes, & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (22-15-0) return to Ball Arena for the start of a four-game homestand against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets (27-10-1). Puck drop is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. MT.

READ MORE: At What Point Should Mackenzie Blackwood Be Included in the Vezina Trophy Conversation?

Colorado enters the matchup on a four-game winning streak after defeating Utah Hockey Club on the road following the Christmas break. Since that game, the Avs have seen several changes to their lineup.

First, they acquired forward Juuso Parssinen from the Nashville Predators. He’ll play the wing on the new-look fourth line. They also welcome back Jonathan Drouin following his second 16-game absence of the season. Drouin re-enters the top six and will play on the second line.

Colorado placed forward Ivan Ivan on IR after it was announced that he’d be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Also, the team is likely going to dress Keaton Middleton on the third pair ahead of Calvin de Haan, who was one of the last skaters on the ice during the optional morning skate.

A lot is happening.

Mackenzie Blackwood gets the nod in goal again, making his third straight start. Blackwood is 4-1-0 in five games with the Avs, surrendering just nine goals and rocking a shiny .940 save percentage. With his Sharks numbers included, Blackwood’s .917 save percentage is fourth in the NHL.

He’s three spots behind the incredible .930 save percentage by Winnipeg’s starter Connor Hellebuyck. The Michigan native leads the NHL in most goaltending categories as he pushes for his second straight Vezina Trophy.

Hellebuyck played Monday night in Nashville and it has not yet been confirmed if he’ll go against the Avs. He’s riding a personal six-game winning streak, which includes two shutouts and just nine goals against in total. He has not played on back-to-back nights all season, albeit he did it once last year.

The backup, Eric Comrie, is 3-5-0. Comrie has never faced Colorado in his career.

Both teams have players riding hot streaks. For the Avs, Mikko Rantanen enters the bout on a 10-game point streak where he’s scored five goals and 13 assists. Top center Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the league with 60 points, has 19 in his last eight games.

For Winnipeg, Kyle Connor is on a seven-game point streak, compiling six goals and 15 points. He has six multi-point games in the stretch. His center, Mark Scheifele, is on pace to smash his career highs in all categories. He has 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points in 38 games.

Winnipeg is 0-3 on the second leg of a back-to-back this season.

READ MORE: Mittelstadt Demotion; The Nichushkin Whisperer; Jake Evans Trade?

Season Series

• Nov. 7 at Winnipeg (L, 1-0)
• Dec. 31 vs Winnipeg
• Jan. 11 at Winnipeg
• Jan. 22 vs Winnipeg

Avalanche Injuries

• Ivan Ivan (upper-body, week-to-week)
• Oliver Kylington (upper body, week-to-week)
• Miles Wood (upper body, LTIR)
• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Valeri Nichushkin
Jonathan Drouin — Ross Colton — Mikko Rantanen
Joel Kiviranta – Parker Kelly – Logan O’Connor
Jere Innala — Casey Mittelstadt — Juuso Parssinen

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Keaton Middleton — Sam Malinski

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
• Unconfirmed: Eric Comrie (WPG)

Upcoming Milestones

• Jonathan Drouin — needs 2 goals for 100
• Mikko Rantanen — needs 2 PPG for 100
• Cale Makar — needs 3 goals for 100
• Nathan MacKinnon — needs 4 PPG for 100
• Casey Mittelstadt — needs 6 games for 400
• Devon Toews — needs 6 assists for 200
• Logan O’Connor — needs 9 points for 100

How to Watch

• TV: Altitude TV
• Radio: 92.5 FM