The Colorado Avalanche lines will shift due to injuries sidelining a top-line and a mid-six forward.
The Colorado Avalanche lines will shift due to injuries sidelining a top-line and a mid-six forward.
The Avalanche will be without Mikko Rantanen and Miles Wood against the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars.
Rantanen took a high hit from Mattias Ekholm in the 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers and is in concussion protocol, according to head coach Jared Bednar. He worked out on Saturday and skated on his own before morning skate on Sunday. Bednar listed him as day-to-day and his hopeful for a quick return.
"It's always tough, obviously whenever our top players — with Nate (MacKinnon) and Cale (Makar) and those guys — hopefully he gets healthy and gets back soon. You can't really replace a guy like Mikko," Jonathan Drouin said.
Valeri Nichushkin is projected to shift to the top line while the 27-year-old Finn is out. His size and grit are similar to Rantanen's, plus he's familiar and comfortable with that line.
Wood is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury which most likely shifts Yakov Trenin to the third line with Ross Colton and Zach Parise. With some reinforcements returning and call ups, Bednar is confident his team will adjust to the changes.
"(Joel) Kiviranta comes back in the lineup, Wagner comes back in — both guys have played really well for us. They'll make up the fourth line with (Andrew) Cogliano," Bednar said. "That line scored two goals against Dallas in Dallas so we're still full roster of NHL guys, you know what I mean? So all, everyone capable of chipping in to help us win tonight. So I mean, even though we're missing some key guys, we obviously added some guys back in on the road trip that are still trying to get their feet underneath them and feeling good."
Dallas lost to the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday afternoon with goaltender Scott Wedgewood between the pipes. Netminder Jake Oettinger is expected to start against the Avs and he's coming off a 5-0 shutout win vs the Oilers.
"Get traffic, shoot pucks, track down rebounds and secondary opportunities, deflections — got to make it tough on him," Bednar said about keys to containing the Stars' goalie. "If you let him see everything he's going to save it."
Alexandar Georgiev will start for the Avalanche and Bednar said he is looking for a bounce back game from his goalie and the rest of his team.
Projected lineup
Jonathan Drouin — Nathan MacKinnon — Valeri Nichushkin
Brandon Duhaime — Casey Mittelstadt — Artturi Lehkonen
Yakov Trenin — Ross Colton — Zach Parise
Andrew Cogliano — Chris Wagner — Joel Kiviranta
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Jack Johnson — Sean Walker
Alexandar Georgiev
Justus Annunen
The matchup will be nationally televised on ESPN with an estimated time for puck drop at 8:08 p.m. MT.