Avalanche Game 80 vs Vancouver Canucks: Home Finale, Lines, Notes & How To Watch

The Colorado Avalanche (48-27-4) play their final home game of the regular season tonight against the Vancouver Canucks (36-29-13). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. MT.

Read More: Avalanche Loan Gabe Landeskog to AHL For Conditioning Assignment

The Avalanche’s regular season home finale might somehow be the second most important game the organization will host this week. All eyes are on the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, who might have Gabriel Landeskog in the lineup on Friday against the Henderson Silver Knights in Loveland.

Landeskog has not played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2022 and was loaned to the Eagles on a conditioning assignment. His status for the game might not be announced until after Friday’s morning skate for the Eagles.

At Ball Arena, the Avs are looking for their 27th win at home to close out the regular season. And they’ll play it without Nathan MacKinnon.

Head coach Jared Bednar said the superstar center is dealing with a minor injury and won’t play. He might miss the weekend road trip, too, which closes out the regular season.

The Avs are coming off a 3-2 shootout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights two nights ago in a game where they gave up the first two goals before mounting a comeback.

Valeri Nichushkin and Jimmy Vesey had the goals in regulation and Charlie Coyle scored the only shootout tally. Scott Wedgewood stopped all three shooters for the Knights. Coyle also had two assists to extend his point streak to three games (goal, 5 assists).

Mackenzie Blackwood gets the nod in goal tonight. The Avalanche are also welcoming Martin Necas and Samuel Girard back into the lineup. The plan is for them to replace MacKinnon, and defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who is out with an upper-body injury that he suffered on Tuesday.

Ross Colton, Jonathan Drouin, and Josh Manson are all still out.

Read More: Coyle Scores SO Winner To Complete Avalanche’s Comeback Over Vegas

Vancouver is coming off an unbelievably historic victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The Canucks surrendered an empty-netter with less than three minutes left and were trailing 5-2. But they scored at 19:00, 19:30. and 19:53 of the third period to mount a miraculous comeback and force OT.

In the extra frame, Mikko Rantanen was called for a minor penalty but the Canucks failed to scored. After Rantanen exited the box, with both teams playing 4-on-4, the Canucks got the game-winning tally from Kiefer Sherwood to become the first team in NHL history to trail by three goals in the final minute and come back to win.

The Canucks are already eliminated from playoff contention. But a win like that could spark a hot streak to end the season. Kevin Lankinen gets the nod in goal for Vancouver. It’s his first start against Colorado this year.

Their other goalie, Thatcher Demko, has struggled this season with injuries. And when he’s played, it hasn’t been to his standard. He’s 10-8-3 with an .889 save percentage.

However, against the Avs, Demko has looked like the guy who finished second place in the Vezina Trophy voting last year. Demko is 2-0-0 vs Colorado and secured his only shutout this season against Bednar’s club. Demko has stopped 55-of-56 shots against the Avs.

If Lankinen can beat the Avs, they’ll sweep the season series.

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Season Series

• Dec. 16 at Vancouver Canucks (L, 3-1)
• Feb. 4  at Vancouver Canucks (L, 3-0)
• April 10 vs Vancouver Canucks

Avalanche Injuries

• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, AHL conditioning assignment)
• Josh Manson (upper-body, day-to-day)
• Jonathan Drouin (lower-body, day-to-day)
• Ross Colton (upper-body, day-to-day)
• Nathan MacKinnon (undisclosed)
• Ryan Lindgren (upper-body, day-to-day)

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Brock Nelson — Martin Necas
Miles Wood – Charlie Coyle — Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta — Parker Kelly — Logan O’Connor
Jimmy Vesey— Jack Drury — Chris Wagner

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski
Keaton Middleton — Erik Johnson

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

* NOTE: These line combinations are a prediction. The Avs don’t run line rushes during morning skates so it’s unclear where everyone will slot until the warm ups begin.

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
• Confirmed: Kevin Lankinen (VAN)

Upcoming Milestones

• Brock Nelson — needs 1 goal for 300

How to Watch

• TV: Altitude TV
• Radio: 92.5 FM