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Avalanche Pregame Notes

Avalanche Game 51 at NY Rangers: Bounce Back Needed, Lines, Notes & How to Watch

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The Colorado Avalanche (28-20-2) will face the New York Rangers (24-20-4) for the second and final time in the regular season on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 11:08 a.m. MT at Madison Square Garden.



The Avs look to end a three-game losing streak in the second matchup of a back-to-back. Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins was particularly tough, as it was the first with two new players. Forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury barely had 12 hours after being traded to the Avalanche for Mikko Rantanen before gearing up and playing their first game in burgundy and blue.

READ MORE: MacKinnon Saddened by Rantanen Trade: โ€˜I Never Thought in a Million Years He Would Leaveโ€™

“It was quite crazy. Didn’t sleep much last night. But it’s great to meet these guys. I’m really excited about that. And just got to get into it a little bit,” Necas said.

“Everyone’s been super welcoming. Quick turnaround for me and Nechi (Necas), so group’s made it really easy on us, and it’s been fun to play with these guys tonight,” Drury said.

Drury, nephew of former Avs forward and current Rangers GM Chris Drury, said his brother called him when the trade talk came out and he thought he was joking.

“I laughed initially, and then I kind of figured out, oh, wow, it’s actually true. So pretty crazy,” the 24-year-old New York native said.

READ MORE: โ€˜Itโ€™s Tough to See Mikko Goโ€™: Jared Bednar on Rantanen Trade

Colorado outshot Boston 28-15 and dominated parts of the game but was unable to find fluidity in their offense to get a win. Scott Wedgewood made 12 saves and gave up two goals, which weren’t necessarily on him.

“We let it slip away, we lost a little bit of the killer instinct. Boston did a nice job hanging around and then capitalizing on some of their chances,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “I liked a lot of the things we did. I thought we defended hard, kept the scoring chances against down, but ultimately we gave up a couple that we shouldn’t have and ended up in the back of the net.”

Artturi Lehkonen scored the Avs’ lone goal, assisted by fellow Finn Juuso Parssinen and center Casey Mittelstadt. While instability was expected from two players who had never skated with the team before the game, overall, it was a decent showing.

Miles Wood is expected to play in either this matchup or against the New York Islanders on Tuesday which would likely scratch Chris Wagner. With no morning skate for a matinee game, we will not know until warmups.

READ MORE: Deenโ€™s View: The Avalancheโ€™s Calculated but Risky Gamble in Trading Mikko Rantanen (+)

Season Series

  • Jan. 14 vs New York Rangers (W, 3-2 OT)
  • Jan. 26 at New York Rangers

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
Juuso Parssinen โ€” Casey Mittelstadt โ€” Artturi Lehkonen
Ross Colton โ€“ Jack Drury โ€“ Logan Oโ€™Connor
Miles Wood โ€” Parker Kelly โ€” Joel Kiviranta

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: Igor Shesterkin (NYR)

Upcoming Milestones

  • Devon Toews โ€” needs 2 assists for 200
  • Nathan MacKinnon โ€” needs 4 PPG for 100
  • Logan Oโ€™Connor โ€” needs 4 points for 100
  • Mackenzie Blackwood โ€” needs 10 wins for 100

How to Watch

  • TV: Altitude TV
  • Radio: 92.5 FM

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