The Colorado Avalanche look to tighten up their puck management and bounce back from an overtime loss as they host the Carolina Hurricanes in the Heritage Series at Ball Arena.
DENVER — If the Colorado Avalanche want to beat the Carolina Hurricanes, they’ll need to take better care of the puck.
That’s the area captain Gabriel Landeskog believes requires the most attention. Speaking with The Hockey News after Thursday’s morning skate at Ball Arena, Landeskog emphasized that Colorado’s game hinges on controlling possession and limiting turnovers — something he says will be crucial if they want to dictate the pace against a fast, structured Carolina team.
“I thought last game was one of the first games in a while where we haven’t really managed the puck that well,” Landeskog said. “We just kind of fed into the (Utah) Mammoth transition game by losing the puck in the neutral zone, offensive zone, and things like that. That’s an area we’ll tighten up, but other than that, I like the start that we’ve come out with to start the season and we’ll continue working.”
Colorado Had Rough Outing Against Utah
Although the Colorado Avalanche mounted an impressive third-period comeback in their 4–3 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth, the opening 40 minutes were far from ideal. The first period alone featured 13 combined turnovers, and while Utah managed to regroup and capitalize with two goals in the second, Colorado continued to struggle with puck management. Martin Nečas, in particular, had difficulty finding rhythm early on, committing several turnovers and appearing to overcomplicate plays rather than simplifying his approach. But in the third period, Nečas rediscovered his confidence, burying a crucial goal with a pinpoint wrist shot that slipped past Karel Vejmelka. After the game, The Hockey News asked Nečas what changed in the third that allowed the Avalanche to battle back and force overtime.
“Obviously Utah played (great in the neutral zone) and then we (moved the puck past them). Nečas said of the early struggles. “Once we (scored), right on the forecheck, it started working (from there).”
Unfortunately for Colorado, an early overtime turnover proved costly, leading to a 2-on-1 rush that ended with Clayton Keller setting up Dylan Guenther for the game-winning tap-in — sealing the victory for Utah. Still, there’s a silver lining: the Avalanche remain unbeaten in regulation and have earned at least one point in all six games this season.
As they prepare to face the Carolina Hurricanes, Martin Nečas leads the team with 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists), while Nathan MacKinnon sits close behind as the team’s goal leader with six, adding four assists for a total of 10 points on the year.
Scott Wedgewood is set to make his seventh consecutive start in goal, continuing to carry the workload for Colorado. Mackenzie Blackwood is nearing a return but remains unavailable for the time being, while Trent Miner will serve as Wedgewood’s backup against Carolina.
Canes Coming Off Loss
Despite losing to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho extended their point streaks to six games — continuing to drive the Carolina Hurricanes’ early-season offense. Jarvis leads the team with six goals and nine points, while Aho tops the roster in assists with six. Jarvis has been an eraser more or less for the Canes, as he leads the NHL with four-game winning goals and two overtime tallies, which is by far the best start to a season that he’s ever had. Together, Jarvis and Aho have anchored Carolina’s attack, supported by balanced contributions from Jordan Staal, Taylor Hall, Eric Robinson, K’Andre Miller, and Jordan Martinook — each of whom has tallied four points through six games.
Get Ready
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time at Ball Arena, where the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes will open the Heritage Series. In a nod to their roots, the Avalanche will take the ice wearing Quebec Nordiques throwback jerseys, while the Hurricanes will pay homage to their past with the classic Hartford Whalers look — giving this matchup a distinctly nostalgic, Canadian flair.
