Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Winnipeg Jets (7:30 pm)
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a Colorado Avalanche game day!
Who saw this coming after Game One in Winnipeg? Colorado is back in Canada tonight riding three straight wins to a chance to get out of the first round in just five games.
They’ve done it by playing a relentless forechecking game while tightening up the defensive miscues that plagued them throughout the year, and of course, getting the good version of goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s Jekyll and Hyde act since he bottomed out in the opener.
Goaltending will be key again, as Georgiev has done the unthinkable and outdueled presumptive Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck for three games and will need to again to close out the series. A lot of that has to do with the phenomenal work of the Avalanche defenders - both the blueliners and forwards - playing a team game that left few cracks for the Jets to exploit.
So far, so great from the Avalanche skaters - can they keep it up against a Jets team playing with their season on the line? And can Georgiev stave off turning into Mr. Hyde one more time? We’ll find out tonight in... Elimination Night: Jets on the Edge!
Colorado Avalanche Projected Lines
Valeri Nichushkin (13) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)Artturi Lehkonen (62) - Casey Mittelstadt (37) - Zach Parise (9)Miles Wood (28) - Ross Colton (20) - Nikolai Kovalenko (51)Andrew Cogliano (11) - Yakov Trenin (73) - Brandon Duhaime (12)
Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)Sam Girard (49) - Josh Manson (42)Jack Johnson (3) - Sean Walker (26)
Alexandar Georgiev (40)
Note: Joel Kiviranta is day to day, and if he’s good to go he’ll take Kovalenko’s spot.
Winnipeg Jets Projected Lines
Nikolaj Ehlers (26)- Mark Schiefele (55) - Gabriel Vilardi (13)Cole Perfetti (91) - Sean Monahan (23) - Kyle Connor (81) Nino Neiderreiter (62) - Adam Lowry (17) - Mason Appleton (22)Alex Iafallo (9) - David Gustafsson (19) - Tyler Toffoli (73)
Josh Morrissey (44) - Dylan DeMelo (2)Dylan Samberg (54) - Neal Pionk (4)Nate Schmidt (88) - Colin Miller (6)
Connor Hellebuyck (37)
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