The Avalanche are looking for redemption from a 5-2 home loss to the Washington Capitals last week at Capitol One Arena on Thursday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. MT. The differences between the games will be no Alex Ovechkin for the Caps and a possible change in net for the Avs.
Ovechkin is listed as week-to-week after suffering a lower-body injury on Monday against the Utah Hockey Club. While his absence will be an advantage for the Avalanche, the Caps are still the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference with 27 points. Colorado is better on the power play (No. 4 in the league) but Washington is third in penalty kill.
The Avs are coming off a bounce-back win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. Cale Makar scored twice and Casey Mittelstadt netted the game-winner. Justus Annunen stopped 24 of 26 shots and the team looks to keep the momentum going against the Capitals.
“I felt like we were offensively rolling. When the forwards are moving around, it’s fun for us to see who can kind of move up top and create space. I thought we were working it really well tonight,” Makar said after the win on Monday.
Colorado is looking to split the series as the teams will not meet again in the regular season.
Head coach Jared Bednar did not confirm who is starting in net, but the team activated Alexandar Georgiev from injured reserve Monday morning. If Georgiev is fit to play, expect him between the pipes. Annunen got the win against the Flyers but had his worst game of the season against the Caps.
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Season Series
- Nov. 15 vs. Washington (L, 5-2)
- Nov. 21 at Washington
Avalanche Injuries
- Ross Colton (foot, 6-8 weeks)
- Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)
Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Jonathan Drouin
Valeri Nichushkin — Casey Mittelstadt — Mikko Rantanen
Joel Kiviranta — Ivan Ivan — Logan O’Connor
Miles Wood — Parker Kelly — Nikolai Kovalenko
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Oliver Kylington — Sam Malinski
Alexandar Georgiev
Justus Annunen
Projected Starters (subject to change)
- Unconfirmed: Alexandar Georgiev (COL)
- Unconfirmed: Logan Thompson (WAS)
Upcoming Milestones
- Mikko Rantanen – needs 4 power-play goals for 100
- Nathan MacKinnon — needs 9 assists for 600
- Cale Makar — 1 multi-point game to hit 100 becoming the 15th defenseman under the age of 27 in NHL history to do so
How to Watch
- TV: Altitude TV Altitude TV and KUSA-TV 9NEWS
- Radio: 92.5 Altitude Radio