Game 19 Preview: Oilers @ Avalanche

Varlamov and the Avalanche stole two more points from their road trip against the Blue Jackets on Monday. Despite a late goal from the Jackets, the Avs were able to rally in overtime behind the return of Matt Duchene and stellar play of Erik Johnson to cover up a game in which the Blue Jackets controlled.

The Avs now head home before Thanksgiving with two big wins at the tail end of their trip and a chance to do something they have yet to do in this see saw season so far: win three games in a row. What stands in their way is an Edmonton Oiler team that has been the surprise of the Western Conference so far this season.

The Oilers shook up their team this offseason, trading away two of their four number one overall draft picks. In addition to that, the Oilers named their most recent number one overall pick, Connor McDavid their captain, making him pass Gabe Landeskog as the youngest captain ever named in NHL history. While a collar bone injury limited McDavid to just 45 games in his rookie season last year, the generational phenom has shown people just what they missed last season so far in his sophomore campaign. With 24 points and 16 assists in 20 games, McDavid leads the league. The kid has put the Oilers on his 19-year-old shoulders and he has the them in first place in their division for the first time in a long time.

LINES

Martinsen-MacKinnon-Rantanen

Greer-Soderberg-Duchene

Comeau-Mitchell-Iginla

McLeod-Grigorenko-Bourque

Zadorov-Johnson

Wierchioch-Barrie

Beauchemin-Tyutin

Varlamov

Pickard

NOTES

- The Avs have won every game in which they have had a defenseman score this season.

- Erik Johnson is tied with Nathan MacKinnon for the team lead in assists.

- One thing Joe Colborne and Connor McDavid have in common: they both scored their first career hat trick against the Dallas Stars this season.

GAME INFO

Game time: 8pm MT

TV: ALT