The Colorado Avalanche are back in action tonight as they continue their East Coast road swing, rolling into Ottawa to face the Senators. Puck drops at 5:45 p.m. MT, and while the Avs are looking to keep their momentum going, there are a few key storylines worth keeping an eye on.
Avalanche Riding High After Toronto Win
Colorado opened the trip with a statement game, knocking off the Maple Leafs 4-1 in Toronto. Brock Nelson was the star of the night, notching a hat trick and showing exactly why the Avs brought him in.
Mackenzie Blackwood was rock solid between the pipes, turning aside 31 shots and coming within 62 seconds of a shutout. That kind of performance earns you another start, and Blackwood will be back in net tonight.
Goaltending Matchup: Blackwood vs. Reimer
Blackwood’s confidence is clearly trending in the right direction, and he’ll be up against James Reimer, who gets the nod for Ottawa. Reimer, signed by the Senators earlier this month, has had a rocky start with his new team - posting a 1-2-1 record and a .871 save percentage. It’s a matchup that tilts in Colorado’s favor on paper, but as always, it’ll come down to execution.
Lineup Notes: Middleton In, Colton Out
The Avs are making a small tweak on the blue line. Keaton Middleton has been called up and will slot in on the third pair, replacing Jack Ahcan.
Up front, Ross Colton remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. He won’t suit up tonight, but there’s still hope he rejoins the lineup at some point during this road trip.
That means the forward group will stay largely intact from the Toronto win - and that’s not a bad thing considering how well they clicked.
Senators Struggling to Find Consistency
Ottawa comes into this one sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, going 4-4-2 in their last 10. They’ve had flashes of solid play, but consistency has been elusive.
The last time these teams met - back on January 8 - Colorado made quick work of the Sens in an 8-2 rout. That game was in Denver.
Tonight, they’ll look to replicate that dominance on the road.
Avalanche Injury Report
The Avs are still managing a few key injuries. Logan O’Connor is out with an undisclosed issue, and his timeline remains unclear.
Ross Colton, as mentioned, is day-to-day. Devon Toews is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and captain Gabriel Landeskog is still several weeks away from returning.
Projected Avalanche Lines
Forwards
- Victor Olofsson - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
- Artturi Lehkonen - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
- Taylor Makar - Jack Drury - Gavin Brindley
- Joel Kiviranta - Parker Kelly - Zakhar Bardakov
Defense
- Sam Malinski - Cale Makar
- Josh Manson - Brent Burns
- Keaton Middleton - Samuel Girard
Goalies
- Starter: Mackenzie Blackwood
- Backup: Scott Wedgewood
Milestones to Watch
There are a few big career marks within reach tonight:
- Nathan MacKinnon is just two assists away from 700 - a testament to his elite playmaking and consistency.
- Samuel Girard needs three assists to hit 200.
- Valeri Nichushkin is four games away from his 600th NHL appearance.
- Gabriel Landeskog, though still sidelined, is seven points shy of 600.
- Martin Necas is closing in on 500 career games, needing nine more.
- Devon Toews, also out with injury, is nine points away from 300.
How to Watch
Catch the game on Altitude TV or tune in on the radio at 92.5 FM.
With a strong start to their road trip and a favorable matchup ahead, the Avalanche are in a good spot to keep things rolling. But as always in the NHL, no win comes easy - especially on the road. Expect Colorado to lean on their depth, goaltending, and top-line firepower to try and take care of business in Ottawa.