Preview: Charging on to Carolina
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Colorado continues on their road trip out East with game two of five.
After a thrilling 5-4 comeback win against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, the Colorado Avalanche continue their five-game trip out east with a matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight. This will be the second and final regular season matchup between these two teams, with Colorado winning the first one by a final score of 6-4.
Ready to battle again, this time against the Carolina Hurricanes! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/m9xFHGGqLZ— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) December 5, 2024
Colorado Avalanche
As previously mentioned, Colorado kicked off their road trip in honestly kind of incredible fashion, as they found themselves down 4-0 against the Buffalo Sabres and stormed all the way back to win by a final score of 5-4. Now, call me crazy, I’m not sure that going down big early and storming all the way back is an effective way to play hockey in the NHL, but at least it’s fun to watch!
That being said, while making comebacks like they did on Tuesday might work on teams like the Buffalo Sabres, it likely won’t work against a good, veteran team like the Carolina Hurricanes. The Avs were able to do it once when they played them earlier this year, as they scored five goals in the second period to help secure the win, but I doubt Carolina will let that happen again. You have to start on time against this Canes team here tonight.
Projected Lines
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Mikko RantanenNikolai Kovalenko - Casey Mittelstadt - Valeri NichushkinJoel Kiviranta - Ivan Ivan - Logan O’ConnorNikita Prishchepov - Parker Kelly - Chris Wagner
Devon Toews - Cale MakarSamuel Girard - Sam MalinskiCalvin De Haan - John Ludvig
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina comes into this game likely looking to get-right against Colorado. They’ve been on a three-game losing skid as of late, which has included losses at the hands of the Florida Panthers twice and the Seattle Kraken.
As a result, they are more than likely going to come out flying here tonight against the Avs as they look to snap this losing skid that they’re currently on, which makes starting on time all the more important for Colorado. Even if they get down early and manage to push back, this Canes team knows how to handle a bit of adversity like this, as they are a good, veteran team, as previously mentioned. Coming back from being down 4-0 like the Avs just did against Buffalo will not be easy here tonight if it comes down to that.
Projected Lines
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Jack RoslavicEric Robinson - Jack Drury - Martin NecasJordan Martinook - Jordan Staal - Seth JarvisWilliam Carrier - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Jackson Blake
Jaccob Slavin - Brent BurnsDmitry Orlov - Jalan ChatfieldShayne Gostisbehere - Sean Walker
Goaltenders
After coming into the game in relief on Tuesday, Scott Wedgewood had a pretty strong first outing in an Avalanche uniform, as he closed the door and gave them a chance to come back in that game, which they ultimately did. Because of that, he gets the start tonight.
Carolina will likely go back to Pyotr Kochetkov again tonight, who has had his own struggles as of late. I would say to likely expect a high-scoring game here tonight, but it’s of course always possible that this game ends 1-0 all the same....
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