Colorado Avalanche Game Day: Looking to ground the Jets

After scoring what has become one of the most DYNAMIC goals this season used to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche return home to Ball Arena to host the Winnipeg Jets. Tonight marks the first season matchup between the two Central Division clubs.

Colorado Avalanche: (19-8-2)

Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (16-11-5)

Time: 7:00 p.m. M.S.T

Watch: Altitude, ESPN+

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM, 950 AM

Colorado Avalanche

Avs Nation will surely be riding the Mile High of Cale Makar’s sensational OT winner on Tuesday night into this game vs. the Jets. We all know how special a player he is, but to pull that off on our nemesis Marc Andre Fluery, AND burn the would-have-been 4th pick after Bowen Byram in the 2019 draft Kirby Dach, was truly special for Avs fans.

Tonight, they will be facing another Central Division squad that will be finishing a 3 game road trip in Colorado. After a long stretch between these teams last game in 2019, the two squads will be reintroducing themselves as contenders in the Western Conference. Nazem Kadri, Colorado’s leading scorer with 41 points will surely be in the mix tonight with Norris Trophy contender Cale Makar leading the league in defensive goals with 14. We saw the Avs dominate play last game in Chicago, then give up the lead to the Hawks only to claw back to steal the game in OT. Look for the condor, Erik Johnson to soar in tonights contest, as he always seems to have a good showing against the Jets. Remember the OT winner in 2019?

Val Nischuskin will miss tonights contest and his second straight game with an UBI. Jack Johnson did not return to Tuesdays game for the third period and will be a game time decision for tonight.

FORWARDS

Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Mikko Rantanen

JT Compher - Nazem Kadri - Andre Burakovsky

Nicolas Aube-Kubel - Alex Newhook - Logan O’Connor

Kurtis MacDermid - Tyson Jost - Darren Helm

DEFENDERS

Devon Toews - Cale Makar

Bowen Byram - Samuel Girard

Erik Johnson - Jack Johnson?

Winnipeg Jets:

The Jets will be facing a tough test against Colorado, who are surging up the standings in the West. Fifth place in the Central, Winnipeg is coming into tonights contest on a 3 game win streak. Connor Hellebuyck remains on of the best goalies in the league and will need to bring his A game against the top scoring team in the NHL. Kyle Connor, J.T. Compher’s linemate at the University of Michigan, is the head man in Winnipeg with 35 points this season and is always a dangerous player to go up against.

FORWARDS

Connor - Harkins - Dubois

Lowry - Copp - Reichel

Ehlers - Statsny - Scheifele

Vesalainen - Toninato - Svechnikov

DEFENDERS

Pionk - Dillon

Demelo - Morrissey

Stanley - Schmidt

GOALTENDING

The Avs are projected to have Darcy Kuemper in net for tonights game. He has been steady lately and will continue to see the bulk of the starts until the team can sort out the backup situation.

The Jets seem likely to start Connor Hellebuyck for tonight and hope he can turn in a solid start to finish their road trip against the high flying Avalanche.

GO AVS GO

UPDATE: Ryan Murray returns from injury to replace Jack Johnson, who is out day-to-day with a lower body injury.