Avalanche Game 40 vs Montreal Canadiens, Lines, Notes, & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (24-15-0) continue their homestand at Ball Arena against the Montreal Canadiens (17-18-3). Puck drop is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. MT.

READ MORE: Parker Kelly Recounts Scott Wedgewood’s Injury: ‘I Didn’t Initiate Contact’ (+)

The Avalanche are coming off their most exhilarating game of the season where they erased a late 5-3 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 in OT. Colorado extended its winning streak to six games after Devon Toews scored the game-winner but lost goalie Scott Wedgewood in the process. Wedgewood was injured early in the third period on a play where Buffalo forward Zach Benson fell into him. The rookie forward then picked up the puck and was allowed to score despite the goalie lying on his back in pain.

The Avs used the frustrations of that goal to mount the miraculous comeback. And they’ll look to continue to channel that energy into their third of four games in a row at Ball Arena. Colorado is turning to Mackenzie Blackwood to carry the brunt of the load while Wedgewood recovers from the lower-body injury. He’s expected to get the nod against the Habs, who are on the back end of a back-to-back.

For many reasons, Jonathan Drouin is a player to watch tonight. Not only is he facing his hometown and former team, but he’s coming off an excellent showing against Buffalo. Drouin was reunited with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen midway through the comeback and scored the game-tying goal with eight seconds left. He has three goals and eight points in just seven games this season.

If Drouin can remain healthy, he’ll be a key piece of Colorado’s stretch run toward the postseason. The expectation is for him to stay on the top line, keeping another former Hab, Artturi Lehkonen. on the second line with center Casey Mittelstadt and Ross Colton. Colorado is still missing Valeri Nichushkin, who is out day to day with a lower-body injury suffered two games ago.

If the Avs defeat Montreal, they’ll get to 25 wins before the halfway mark of the season. Colorado is 24-11-0 since starting the season with four straight losses.

READ MORE: Wedgewood’s Status Still Unclear: ‘I’m Guessing It’s Going To Be Week-To-Week

The Habs came to Ball Arena last March and ended the Avalanche’s nine-game winning streak late in the regular season. Coincidentally, they defeated the Avs in the game following Colorado’s epic 5-4 comeback victory against Pittsburgh, where the Avs trailed 4-0. It was a trap game then and it’ll be the same tonight for the Avs. Basically, the Habs shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Montreal lost to the struggling Chicago Blackhawks last night and enter this matchup looking to rebound in a big way. Despite having just seven wins in 19 road games, the Habs recently won three straight on the road in tough buildings in Tampa Bay, Florida, and Vegas. Montreal won both meetings against the Avalanche in 2023-24, also ending a three-game Colorado winning streak in January.

Jacob Dobes is likely going to start for the Habs after Sam Montembeault got the nod in Chicago. It would be just his second career start following an excellent 34-save shutout against the Panthers last weekend.

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Season Series

• Jan. 4 vs Montreal Canadiens
• March 22 at Montreal Canadiens

Avalanche Injuries

• Scott Wedgewood (lower body, week-to-week)
• Valeri Nichushkin (lower body, day-to-day)
• Ivan Ivan (upper body, week-to-week)
• Oliver Kylington (upper body, IR)
• Miles Wood (upper body, LTIR)
• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

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

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

Mackenzie Blackwood
Trent Miner

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Expected: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
• Expected: Jacob Dobes (MTL)

Upcoming Milestones

• Jonathan Drouin — needs 1 goal for 100
• Cale Makar — needs 1 goal1 for 100
• Mikko Rantanen — needs 1 PPG for 100
• Nathan MacKinnon — needs 4 PPG for 100
• Casey Mittelstadt — needs 4 games for 400
• Devon Toews — needs 4 assists for 200
• Ross Colton — needs 8 games for 300
• Logan O’Connor — needs 8 points for 100