Avalanche Pregame Notes
Avalanche Game 53 at Detroit Red Wings: Home and Home Begins! Lines, Notes & How To Watch
The Colorado Avalanche (35-7-9) open a home-and-home against the Detroit Red Wings (32-17-6) at Little Caesars Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. MT.
READ MORE: 5 Takeaways: Something’s Not Right With These Avalanche
Key Stories to Watch
- The Avs are coming off their third 7-3 loss in two weeks and have lost their last two games by a combined score of 12-5. They welcomed Ross Colton back to the lineup in Montreal on Thursday and could get Devon Toews back today.
- Mackenzie Blackwood will likely get the nod in goal, as Scott Wedgewood started in Montreal. Blackwood has struggled since returning from an injury. He’s 1-3 in four starts in January, surrendering 15 goals in the process.
- The Red Wings are on the road to ending their long playoff drought. Their 32 wins are tied for fourth in the league, and their .636 points percentage is sixth in the NHL. Detroit is 1-1-2 in its last four games and, like the Avs, has lost two consecutive contests.
- John Gibson will get the nod in goal for the home team. He’s been incredible between the pipes for the Red Wings this season, and is perhaps the biggest reason why they’ve catapulted up the standings.
Season Series
- Jan. 31 at Detroit Red Wings
- Feb. 2 vs Detroit Red Wings
Avalanche Injuries
- Logan O’Connor (undisclosed, TBD)
- Devon Toews (upper body, week-to-week)
- Gabriel Landeskog (upper body, “weeks”)
Projected Avalanche Lines (Subject to Change)
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Victor Olofsson — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton — Jack Drury — Gavin Brindley
Zakhar Bardakov — Parker Kelly — Joel Kiviranta
Sam Malinski — Cale Makar
Josh Manson — Brent Burns
Samuel Girard — Keaton Middleton
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
READ MORE: Deen’s View: Malinski’s Extension Could Signal Change on Avalanche Blueline (+)
Projected Starters (Subject to Change)
- Expected: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
- Confirmed: John Gibson (DET)
Upcoming Milestones
- Nathan MacKinnon — needs 2 assists for 700
- Samuel Girard — needs 2 assists for 200
- Valeri Nichushkin — needs 2 games for 600
- Gabriel Landeskog — needs 7 points for 600
- Martin Necas — needs 7 games for 500
- Devon Toews — needs 9 points for 300
How to Watch
- TV: ABC
- Radio: 92.5 FM
Beating a dead horse. Middleton? OK, better than Ahcan, but WTF did we give Solovyov away? He’s performing very nicely in the NHL for the Penguins. The 20 goals we’ve given up in 4 games sure the hell ain’t Solovyov’s fault. And getting Toews Back with Solo on the roster would ahve made a dicusssion about moving Girard to create cap space for Kadri a possible discussion. Now tell me about the huge plans they’ve got and don’t need a large 3-rd line defenseman because he was a waiver claim. Cause he’s doing fine and we’re going to give Middleton… Read more »
Right? Good thing they got that juicy 7th rounder for Solovyov. 🤣
Maybe the front office traded solovyov cause they thought toews was coming back at that time. However even if toews came back they should’ve kept solovyov. He was serviceable.
Now the avs are searching for a 6th and 7th dmen.
Yeah I don’t understand trading Solovyov either. That’s really when this whole tailspin began. He was playing well, certainly better than Ahcan or Middleton, by a lot.