Preview: Avalanche Look To Extend Point Streak in Calgary

4 days ago  /  Mile High Hockey  /  Read Time: 1 minute 56 seconds

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images


Can Colorado Douse the Flames and Keep the Streak Alive? Coming off a disappointing OT loss to the Wild, the Colorado Avalanche have another chance to put some distance between themselves and a Western Conference wildcard hopeful. The surprising Flames have turned around a downward trend for the franchise thanks to excellent goaltending from rookie goalie Dustin Wolf, who is about to have his hands full with Nathan MacKinnon’s high-powered Avalanche and their bevy of new toys.

Colorado Avalanche
Colorado comes into this game on a seven-game point streak that, if not for the Minnesota Wild taking advantage of tired Avs legs on a back-to-back, could easily have been all wins. Since two tough games coming back from the Four Nations Tournament break, the Avalanche have played lights out defensively while churning out goals and incorporating trade acquisitions with seeming ease.
If that continues, it largely rests on the shoulders of Nathan MacKinnon and Calgary native Cale Makar, though they’ll need a healthy dose of support from newcomers down the middle of the lineup, Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle. Center depth is now the calling card of this new-look Avalanche and a clear focus from the front office at the trade deadline.
But good centers can only do so much - the Avs now-healthy wingers and blueliners have been playing an extremely responsible game of late while routinely making plays in the offensive zone, and that will need to continue as well to provide both in zone support and goal support for backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
Projected Lineup
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin NecasJonathan Drouin — Brock Nelson — Valeri NichushkinJoel Kiviranta — Charlie Coyle — Ross ColtonParker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor
Devon Toews — Cale MakarRyan Lindgren — Josh MansonSamuel Girard — Erik Johnson
Scott Wedgewood

Calgary Flames
Currently sitting in fourth place in the Pacific Division just ahead of the Vancouver Canucks but 7 points back of the Edmonton Oilers, the Flames are in a real fight for the second wildcard spot in the West for this season’s playoffs. The trouble is, they can’t seem to beat the teams they’re competing with.
They’ve won four of their last ten games, but those four wins came against Eastern Conference teams and the San Jose Sharks. The Vancouver Canucks just came to town and left with a 4-3 victory that brought both teams’ season point total to 71 - though the Flames have played one fewer game.
That’s not going to cut it, and for a team boasting rookie of the year candidate Dustin Wolf in goal, quality veterans Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, and MacKenzie Weegar alongside some up-and-coming young talent this recent stretch of play has to be disappointing.
Projected Lineup
Jonathan Huberdeau - Nazem Kadri - Matt CoronatoJoel Farabee - Yegor Sharangovich - Blake ColemanDryden Hunt - Morgan Frost - Joel FarabeeRyan Lomberg - Kevin Rooney - Adam Klapka
Joel Hanley - MacKenzie WeegarKevin Bahl - Rasmus AnderssonJake Bean - Daniil Miromanov
Dustin Wolf...

Read Full Article.