The last game of the regular season makes no difference for the Avalanche heading into the postseason, but it has an importance attached to it.
The last game of the regular season makes no difference for the Avalanche heading into the postseason, but it has an importance attached to it.
Game 82 for the Colorado Avalanche will not change who they face to start the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it is an important one before the postseason begins. The Edmonton Oilers have similarities to the Avs' first-round opponent — the Winnipeg Jets — so the team is focused on the details of the game.
"Just trying to play the right way, kind of hit our stride for Winnipeg," Ross Colton said after an optional morning skate. "So it's a good test, obviously a good team over there, they played last night. Similar structure to Winnipeg so it should be good."
Head coach Jared Bednar said he gave some of his players the option to sit out but all will be in the lineup against the Oilers. The Avs have only played four games in the last 12 days so they have had time to rest. The matchup with Edmonton could be a springboard into their upcoming first-round series with the Jets.
"Talking about our habits, already talking a little bit about Winnipeg — similarities that Edmonton, you know, challenges that they provide. There's some similarities with that with Winnipeg as well. So, dialing in on a few aspects of our game that we feel are going to be important come playoff time, Sunday or Monday," Bednar said. "Again, it's about us getting our game in order. We're going to use these last few days in order to do that. We're going to work right until the end to try to be as sharp as we possibly can when we hit playoffs."
Colorado has gone 2-4-1 in April but the Stanley Cup Playoffs are a different beast. The Avs played difficult opponents — some at playoff level — but all it takes is one exceptional game to boost confidence which can make this team dangerous.
"I think once this game ends, I think then it all starts, you know it kind of ramps up," Colton said. "We'll start kind of dialing in on just Winnipeg, you know, it's not different teams coming in. So, I mean, we know what they have over there — obviously we played them recently. And we're excited for it."
The Oilers lost 5-2 to the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday night and this game has no significance for who they will face in the first round of the playoffs. That will be determined by the outcome of the Los Angeles Kings' and Vegas Golden Knights' games. There is a chance some of Edmonton's top players will have reduced ice time or may not even play.
Projected lineup
Bednar said Samuel Girard's status has not changed and he remains out due to concussion protocol.
Jonathan Drouin — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Artturi Lehkonen — Casey Mittelstadt — Valeri Nichushkin
Miles Wood — Ross Colton — Zach Parise
Andrew Cogliano — Yakov Trenin — Brandon Duhaime
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Sean Walker — Josh Manson
Jack Johnson — Caleb Jones
Justus Annunen
Alexandar Georgiev
The teams are split in their series this season — Avs won 3-2 in overtime on March 16 in Edmonton, lost 6-2 at Rogers Place on April 5. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. MT.