Avalanche Pregame Notes
Avalanche Game 50 at Boston Bruins: Post-Rantanen Era Begins, Lines, Notes & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (28-19-2) open a three-game road trip against the Boston Bruins (24-20-6). Puck drop is scheduled for 11:08 a.m. MT.
READ MORE: Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen to Carolina in 3-Way Deal for Martin Necas and Jack Drury
This post-Mikko Rantanen era starts now. And given the sudden blockbuster deal late Friday night going into an early matinee on the East Coast, there’s a lot that’s still unclear about the lines.
My colleague Evan Rawal at the Colorado Gazette confirmed that Both Martin Necas and Jack Drury will play for the Avs today. Given the lack of a morning skate, line combinations listed below are my projected lines, so please take them with a grain of salt. We are also not yet sure if Miles Wood will return against Boston or later on during the trip.
The Avs are going to have to juggle the emotions of losing one of their core pieces while trying to end their recent struggles. Necas will likely line up with Nathan MacKinnon on the top line if he plays. He’ll also get a lot of power play time and a chance to make a difference for this team. It’s going to be tough for him to get in the swing of things without any practice time or a morning skate, though.
Drury will also bolster the Avalanche’s fourth line. Having him and Wood both in the lineup would give Colorado four playable lines. We’ll see how it all shakes out.
READ MORE: The Avalanche’s Calculated but Risky Gamble in Trading Mikko Rantanen (+)
As for the Bruins, they’re 3-1-1 in their last five as they continue to fight for a wildcard position. Boston is currently in the top wildcard spot but the four teams below them all have at least a game in hand.
The battle for wildcard positioning in the East is as tight as ever. The Bruins have a .540 points percentage while Columbus (.541), the New York Rangers (.542), Ottawa (.542), and Montreal (.542) are all nearly identical.
Joonas Korpisalo is likely going to get the nod again while Jeremy Swayman recovers from an injury. Korpisalo shutout his former team, the Ottawa Senators, in Boston’s last game on Thursday.
READ MORE: Why Accountability is Important for Avalanche (+)
Season Series
- Oct. 16 vs Boston Bruins (L, 5-3)
- Jan. 25 at Boston Bruins
Avalanche Injuries
- Valeri Nichushkin (lower body, week-to-week)
- Oliver Kylington (upper body, IR)
- Miles Wood (upper body, day-to-day)
- Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)
Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)
Jonathan Drouin โ Nathan MacKinnon โ Martin Necas
Ross Colton โ Casey Mittelstadt โ Artturi Lehkonen
Joel Kiviranta โ Parker Kelly โ Logan OโConnor
Chris Wagner – Jack Drury – Juuso Parssinen
Devon Toews โ Cale Makar
Samuel Girard โ Josh Manson
Keaton Middleton โ Sam Malinski
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Projected Starters (subject to change)
- Unconfirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
- Unconfirmed: Joonas Korpisalo (BOS)
Upcoming Milestones
- Devon Toews โ needs 2 assists for 200
- Nathan MacKinnon โ needs 4 PPG for 100
- Logan OโConnor โ needs 4 points for 100
- Mackenzie Blackwood โ needs 10 wins for 100
How to Watch
- TV: Altitude TV, NHL Network
- Radio: 92.5 FM