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The Colorado Avalanche (41-24-3) are back on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-24-3). Puck drop is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. MT.
READ MORE: Gabriel Landeskog Joins First Practice With Avalanche — Still Not Taking Contact
Coming off an exciting 4-3 overtime victory over Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars, the Avs are set to begin a three-game road trip through Canada against a trio of teams in the playoff race or fighting for wildcard positioning.
Basically, it won’t be easy. And it starts with the best of the bunch. Colorado just saw the Toronto Maple Leafs at Ball Arena less than two weeks ago. In that game, the Leafs were the better team early and built a multi-goal lead before Valeri Nichushkin’s hat trick put the finishing touches on a third-period Avs comeback.
The battle between two of the NHL’s best teams has a lot on the line. The Avalanche watched Dallas defeat the Anaheim Ducks in OT on Tuesday to build a four-point lead on Colorado with a game in hand. Colorado is hoping to catch them to get home-ice advantage in an inevitable first-round series that will likely garner most of the league’s attention.
The Leafs are also hoping for the same on their end of the bracket. They’re currently third in the Atlantic division and in line to visit Tampa Bay as the road team in Round 1. But the Bolts are only ahead of them because of the regulation wins tiebreaker and the Panthers, in first place, are only two points up on both teams.
Toronto isn’t just fighting for home-ice advantage, they’re also pushing to get first in their division and avoid both Florida teams. Beating the Avs could put them closer to that goal.
READ MORE: Avalanche Mailbag: Do the Avalanche Regret Trading Rantanen? Will Nelson Re-Sign? Is Bednar Still Underrated?
After playing Scott Wedgewood in each of the last two games and three of the last four, starting goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is back in goal tonight.
Blackwood was supposed to get the nod against the Calgary Flames but came down with an illness that kept him on the bench as the backup for two games. Wedgewood won both, giving up five goals in the process.
Blackwood has been one of the best goalies in the league since joining the Avalanche in December. He’s also one win away from 100 in his career. He’ll go up against Joseph Woll for Toronto.
The Avs are going with the same lineup that played against Dallas. Josh Manson, who is traveling with the team, isn’t going to play and will likely miss some time before he’s able to return.
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READ MORE: Josh Manson Could Miss a Significant Amount of Time
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Valeri Nichushkin — Brock Nelson — Jonathan Drouin
Joel Kiviranta – Charlie Coyle – Ross Colton
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Ryan Lindgren — Sam Malinski
Samuel Girard — Erik Johnson
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Avalanche Game 68 vs Dallas Stars: Rantanen Returns, Lines, Notes & How To Watch
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