Preview: Defending home ice against the Coyotes
Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images
The Avs look to avert their demons finally back at home.
Finally, the Colorado Avalanche are home. After a season-long six-game road trip, the Avs come home for a mini-two-game home stand.
It couldn’t come at a more important time. This afternoon/early evening, it starts with a divisional matchup against the always pesky Arizona Coyotes.
Colorado Avalanche
As mentioned earlier, this home game couldn’t come at a more important time and necessary for the Avalanche. This is due to going 1-4-1 on the road trip, with the most recent game being a loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
Colorado is desperate to play their way on home ice and get back going in the right direction. They will have to do it without Logan O’Connor, still out with a lower-body injury which looks to be more than a small issue. Hence, Chris Wagner was called up from the Colorado Eagles and looks to slot in for his first game of the season.
Nathan MacKinnon, sporting a new broken-nose look, will also have to be feisty and angry at how the team is doing. He was part of a team meeting the Avs had to work on defensive issues. Will this meeting lead to better results, starting today back at Ball Arena?
Nathan MacKinnon two days removed from getting a puck to the face. pic.twitter.com/fG2c6Metyf— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano_) February 17, 2024
Projected Lines
Jonathan Drouin (27) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)Miles Wood (28) - Ross Colton (20) - Artturi Lehkonen (62)Zach Parise (9) - Ryan Johansen (12) - Joel Kiviranta (94)Andrew Cogliano (11) - Frederik Olofsson (22) - Chris Wagner (14)
Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)Sam Girard (49) - Josh Manson (42)Jack Johnson (3) - Bowen Byram (4)
Arizona Coyotes
Arizona is also in desperate need of a win themselves. Their most recent game saw them fall 5-1 on home ice against the Carolina Hurricanes.
It’s all a part of a massive skid the Yotes have been on in the last few weeks. They are 2-8-0 in their last 10 games, currently on an eight-game losing streak. It doesn’t even include their off-ice issues.
New 32 Thoughts Podcast @JeffMarek and @FriedgeHNIC discuss the future of the Arizona Coyotes, Noah Hanifin in Calgary, the Flyers, and more! : https://t.co/76QL2vpeWePresented by @GMCcanada pic.twitter.com/k9u0lmWWTG— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 9, 2024
Hence, they have fallen out of the playoff race. The surprise underdog team in the running at the time is now 10 points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final wild-card spot. Will a win tonight help stop their skid and perhaps make a late push?
Projected Lines
Clayton Keller (9) - Barrett Hayton (23) - Nick Schmaltz (8)Matias Maccelli (63) - Nick Bjugstad (17) - Lawson Crouse (67)Logan Cooley (92) - Jack McBain (22) - Dylan Guenther (11)Jason Zucker (16) - Alex Kerfoot (15) - Michale Carcone (53)
J.J. Moser (90) - Sean Durzi (50)Travis Dermott (33) - Matt Dumba (24)Juuso Valimaki (4) - Michael Kesselring (5)
Goaltenders
After getting the night off in Tampa, we should see a very rested Alexandar Georgiev back in the net for Colorado. For the Coyotes, Connor Ingram is out injured so we should see Karel Vejmelka between the pipes....
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