The Colorado Avalanche wrap up the regular season with a final home game against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. Both teams are set in stone for the playoffs, and there is not much to play for in this regular-season finale.
The teams are 1-1 in the season series with the two games in Edmonton already complete. Hence, Colorado will be looking to end the season on a high note going into the playoffs after a down performance to end the season.
Colorado Avalanche (49-25-7)
The Avs are coming off a disappointing 4-3 overtime loss against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday afternoon. They led 3-0 after two periods and were looking set for a rebound win after falling 7-0 to the Winnipeg Jets the previous day.
It has not been a pretty final stretch of the season for Colorado, going 3-5-2 in their last 10 games falling from the top of the Central Division to now third in the division, and losing out on home ice advantage.
But even then, there is still something to play for in this game. Nathan MacKinnon is looking for the franchise record in points scored this season, Justus Annunen looks to perhaps make one final bid for a playoff starting spot, and the team as a whole is looking for the 50th win of the season.
Projected Lines
Jonathan Drouin (27) – Nathan MacKinnon (29) – Mikko Rantanen (96)
Artturi Lehkonen (62) – Casey Mittelstadt (37) – Valeri Nichushkin (13)
Miles Wood (28) – Ross Colton (20) – Zach Parise (9)
Andrew Cogliano (11) – Yakov Trenin (73) – Joel Kiviranta (94)
Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)
Sean Walker (26) – Josh Manson (42)
Jack Johnson (3) – Caleb Jones (82)
Justus Annunen (60)
Edmonton Oilers (49-26-6)
Edmonton is playing in the second leg of a back-to-back having lost last night against the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. It was the final game for the Yotes in franchise history, for now, in an emotional performance which the Oilers were going to struggle against.
Edmonton has had a long stretch with two consecutive back-to-back series to end the regular season. Luckily for them, they have not had much to play for, as they clinched home-ice advantage for the first round and will face one of the Los Angeles Kings or Vegas Golden Knights in the first round, depending on other results tonight.
There have been some injury concerns with Connor McDavid having a lower-body injury, but he did play last night. We won’t know if the Oilers will be resting some players getting ready for their own playoff run, but still looking to get their 50th win themselves as well with whichever personnel they put out onto the ice.
Projected Lines
Adam Henrique (19) – Connor McDavid (97) – Zach Hyman (18)
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) – Leon Draisaitl (29) – Warren Foegele (37)
Dylan Holloway (55) – Ryan McLeod (71) – Corey Perry (90)
Mattias Janmark (13) – Sam Carrick (39) – Connor Brown (20)
Mattias Ekholm (14) – Evan Bouchard (2)
Philip Broberg (86) – Vincent Desharnais (73)
Brett Kulak (27) – Troy Stecher (51)
Stuart Skinner (74)
Broadcast Details
Time: 7:30 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio FM 92.5