Game Five of this first-round series with the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets might be coming to a close sooner than many expected. With the Avs up 3-1, they’ll look to close it out in Manitoba.
Ever since midway through Game Two, this series has been all Colorado’s. To think they could’ve swept the Jets with average goaltending is now an afterthought, and they’ll be focusing on the here and now to advance to the second round.
Colorado Avalanche (3-1-0)
The Avs took advantage of home ice in both Game Three and Game Four. In said Game Four on Sunday afternoon, they opened the Stanley Cup Playoff games that day with a great 5-1 win to take their commanding 3-1 series lead.
Team depth once again played a big part, but so did Valeri Nichushkin. Finally, after all this time, he recorded his first career hat trick in the win and finished off with a last-second empty netter.
Basically, if the Avs play exactly the same as they have in the last three games, this series should be theirs tonight. Will they get the job done, or will the Winnipeg Whiteout help their team bounce back and force a Game Six back in Denver?
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)
Winnipeg Jets (1-3-0)
Winnipeg has looked lost on the ice in the last three games. They have been unable to keep up and have been buried by an Avalanche in the last three games. The Jets have given up at least five goals in each game this series, forcing Connor Hellebuyck to be pulled before the start of the third period in Game Four.
They need any sort of response and way to get back at the Avs. They’ll be shorthanded with Brenden Dillon not at morning skate after being cut by a skate on his hand in Game Three, and no Vladislav Namestnikov either who took a slapshot to the face and has a broken cheekbone.
Hence, we will see Colin Miller slot in for Dillon and Logan Stanley who played the last game, and Cole Perfetti make his first appearance in this series as well. Will it help the Jets get off the ground and beat the Avalanche with this shaken-up lineup?
Projected Lines
Nikolaj Ehlers (26) – Mark Schiefele (55) – Gabriel Vilardi (13)
Kyle Connor (81) – Sean Monahan (23) – Cole Perfetti (91)
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)
Broadcast Details
Time: 7:30 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC, Altitude
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio FM 92.5
Opponent’s Beat: Arctic Ice Hockey