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Colorado Avalanche Looking to Finish the Season Hot

By Nadia Archuleta

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 01: Colorado Avalanche Center Nathan MacKinnon (29) controls the puck as he skates past San Jose Sharks Defenceman Brenden Dillon (4) during the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on March 1, 2019 in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 01: Colorado Avalanche Center Nathan MacKinnon (29) controls the puck as he skates past San Jose Sharks Defenceman Brenden Dillon (4) during the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on March 1, 2019 in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche play Game 82 in San Jose. Having already clinched a playoff berth, they’d like to stay hot.

The Colorado Avalanche have clinched a playoff spot. Because the Dallas Stars lost in regulation yesterday, Colorado still has a chance to move up to the first wild card spot with a win today. However, they’re guaranteed a ticket to the show regardless.

I, personally, am glad that the team doesn’t have to count on today’s game to clinch a playoff berth. The Avs haven’t had good luck in the SAP Center in recent years. Dating back to the 2011-12 season — which coincides with the longest-tenured Avs player — Colorado has won just one game in 12 tries at SAP. That win was back on December 28, 2015, so quite a while ago.

However, the Avalanche do have something important to play for tonight. Pride. And not just pride. After Game 82 tonight, they’ll be gearing up for their first playoff game, which will likely be in Calgary as early as April 10. (That’s when the playoffs start, and Scotiabank Saddledome already has the day set aside for the Flames.)

Colorado is going to want to be going in hot for their first playoff game.

How to Enjoy the Game

Game time: April 6, 8:30 pm MT
TV Networks: ALT, NBCSCA+ (Sharks’ feed)
Radio: Altitude Radio (FM 92.5)

Play a Full 60

For the last three games, Colorado has gone down 2-0 before mounting a comeback. They did earn five out of the six points available, but even alternate captain Erik Johnson admitted that they were “putting ourselves behind the eight-ball” by getting behind.

The problem has been slow starts. For some reason, the team hasn’t come out with as much pep in their step as you would expect for players who have so much on the line.

Here’s where your team leaders come into play. Captain Gabriel Landeskog and his two alternates, Johnson and Nathan MacKinnon, have to come out showing they mean business.

Hot Goalie

As Tyson Barrie points out in his post-practice presser, a hot goalie is a good commodity in the playoffs. Luckily for the Avs, they have two.

Naturally, the hotter of the two is Philipp Grubauer. While on the year he’s gome 33-18-9 with a .917 save percentage, it’s his last several games that have been most impressive. Since March 9, he has just one regulation loss, against the Carolina Hurricanes, in 11 starts. He has two overtime losses. And two shutouts. Yep, he’s hot.

Colorado hasn’t been relying on longtime goalie Semyon Varlamov as much. In that same stretch of time, he’s played just two games — March 15 against Anaheim and April 2 against Edmonton. He started out just a smidge shaky against Edmonton, but he ultimately stopped 27 shots to help the Avs to their victory.

At the time of writing, the goalie hadn’t been announced. You could make a case for starting Varlamov to keep Grubauer fresh for the playoffs. Or you could keep your hot goalie focused by playing him.

Next. Sexiest EJ Goal Ever. dark

Side note: A very hearty congratulations to Colorado Eagles goalie Pavel Francouz. He has temporarily returned to his native Czech Republic to be with his wife during the birth of the couple’s first child.

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