Colorado Avalanche Face Tough Challenge in Edmonton
The Colorado Avalanche will have to dig deep in the second game after the loss to injury of one of their best players, Erik Johnson, to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Colorado Avalanche are set to skate in Edmonton tonight to face the Oilers. This is the second of Colorado’s three-game road trip.
The two teams have faced each other twice already this season. Their first match on February 1 was an overtime win for the Avalanche. The second game came just a few days ago — February 18 when the Avalanche were overcome by Connor doing his McDavid thing.
Oh, and one of our best players and the best defenseman we’ve got went down with an “upper body injury” after a collision with Anton Slepyshev. So, you know, we hate them for that.
The Avalanche are coming off of a come-from-behind win against the Canucks in Vancouver on Tuesday. The Oilers are coming off of a home loss to the Boston Bruins, also on Tuesday.
How to Enjoy the Game
Game time: February 22, 7:00pm MT
TV Networks: Altitude TV (Avs feed), SN1 (Canucks feed)
Radio: Altitude Radio (AM 950)
Tonight is also Edmonton’s designated Hockey is for Everyone Night. The Oilers hosted a HIFE Panel in the Oilers Hall of Fame Room that included the following notables:
- The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ2 Issues
- Jujhar Khaira, Oilers forward and Hockey is for Everyone Ambassador
- Drew MacRae, Edmonton Impact Team Captain and Edmonton Sled Hockey Club President
- Dr. Cheryl MacDonald, You Can Play Ambassador
- Leiha Crier, Former Collegiate Hockey Athlete at the University of Denver, Former President and Coach of Maskwacis Minor Hockey and Coach of Team Alberta for National Aboriginal Hockey Championship
- Lorne Webber, Goaltender for the Edmonton Seehawks, Edmonton’s only blind hockey club and recipient of the Best Goalie Award at the 2017 Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament
During the game, the Oilers Foundation is selling HIFE mystery pucks that have been signed by current Oilers players.
Hockey Equation
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On paper, the Colorado Avalanche should be a better team than the Edmonton Oilers if because of record alone — Colorado’s 32-23-4 to Edmonton’s 24-31-4. However, the following equation changes everything:
+Connor McDavid – Erik Johnson = ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Actually, that’s not true. We’re all pretty sure the result of a present offensive phenom minus our best defenseman might be a shooting gallery in which we’re out-matched. Indeed, that’s what happened on Sunday after both Johnson and Anton Lindholm had to leave the game because of injuries.
At this time of year, there is no such thing as easy games as teams pick up the intensity. With Colorado suiting up a depleted defensive corps against McJesus… they need to stay focused for the entire 60 minutes of play if they don’t want to risk gifting McDavid with whatever the hockey version of a cycle is.
Next: Players Who Must Work Together with EJ Out
This is the third and final meeting between the two teams this season. After this, the Colorado Avalanche head over to Calgary for the third game of their three-game roadie.