Avalanche Game 57 at Edmonton Oilers: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (32-22-2, 66 points) face the Edmonton Oilers (34-16-4, 72 points) for both teams’ last game before the 4 Nations two-week break. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:08 p.m. MT.

The Avs are on the second game of their back-to-back after a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night. The Oilers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday night.

The Avs have won three of their last four playing in playoff mode before the long break. This is the final regular-season matchup between the teams with the Oilers having won two of the three-game series. If the postseason began tomorrow, these teams would face each other in the first round.

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Colorado lost the first game of its Canadian road trip to the Vancouver Canucks after two consecutive shutouts back at Ball Arena. The team regrouped after a dismal first period in Calgary to beat the Flames 4-2. Mackenzie Blackwood had another stellar game with 27 saves to give the Avs a chance at two points.

Sam Malinski moved up to the second defense pair with Sam Girard in Josh Manson’s absence (lower-body injury). He played one of his best games of the season, with a goal that was waived off due to an offside call and an assist on Martin Necas’s second of the night.

“Not completely intentional, wanted to make sure it got off the boards enough to get around that defenseman. I can’t say I saw Marty (Necas) way down there,” Malinski said about his assist.

The young defenseman credited the team’s change from a low-energy opening period to a dominant second and strong finish to its sense of urgency. Nathan MacKinnon and Necas had three-point games while Artturi Lehkonen and Cale Makar contributed goals in the win.

MacKinnon, Makar and Devon Toews will face Connor McDavid — who will all play together for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. MacKinnon leads the league with 83 points and McDavid is tied for the No. 4 spot with 71.

These two points are huge as the Avs are trailing the Minnesota Wild in the No. 4 spot of the Central Division by two and the Wild have one game left before the break.

The team did not announce Scott Wedgewood was off injury so it’s expected Blackwood will start again, even though he played last night. It’s the last game before a long break and if the 28-year-old goaltender can go, he’ll be between the pipes in this important matchup.

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Season Series

• Nov. 30 vs Edmonton (L, 4-1)
• Jan. 16 vs Edmonton (L, 4-3)
• Feb. 7 at Edmonton

Avalanche Injuries

• Scott Wedgewood (upper body, day-to-day)
• Josh Manson (upper body, day-to-day)
• Valeri Nichushkin (lower body, week-to-week)
• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Jonathan Drouin — Casey Mittelstadt — Juuso Parssinen
Miles Wood – Jack Drury –  Ross Colton
Joel Kiviranta — Parker Kelly — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski
Calvin de Haan — Keaton Middleton

Mackenzie Blackwood
Trent Miner

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Unconfirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
• Unconfirmed: Stuart Skinner (EDM)

Upcoming Milestones

• Nathan MacKinnon — needs 3 PPG for 100
• Miles Wood — needs 2 games for 500
• Logan O’Connor — needs 4 points for 100
• Cale Makar — needs 4 points for 400
• Mackenzie Blackwood — needs 6 wins for 100

How to Watch

• TV: Altitude TV and KUSA 9News
• Radio: 92.5 FM