Colorado Avalanche Need to Keep Their Winning Ways Against Columbus

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 05: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Pepsi Center on February 5, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Blue Jackets defeated the Avalanche 6-3. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 05: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Pepsi Center on February 5, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Blue Jackets defeated the Avalanche 6-3. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Colorado Avalanche need to keep up their winning ways no matter who suits up for the team. They need the home win before a big road trip.

The Colorado Avalanche lost five games in a row and then took out their frustration on the Central Division rival Nashville Predators. They beat the Preds by a score of 9-4, an evening that included a touchdown in the second period and Joonas Donskoi’s first career hat trick.

It was a good night in many ways. But the one way it wasn’t is because the injury bug seems to have developed an infestation here in Denver. The Colorado Avalanche started the Predators game without Mikko Rantane, Gabriel Landeskog, Colin Wilson, and Philipp Grubauer.

They then finished the game without Nikita Zadorov. He took a puck to the face and left the game. It’s said from multiple sources, including DNVR, that Zadorov suffered a broken jaw and also needed work on his teeth after the hit.

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Side rant that pretty much anyone who knows about the play is making: Zadorov collapsed to the ice with blood flowing out of his mouth, and the idiotic refs didn’t blow the play dead so that the Avalanche head trainer, Matt Sokolowski, could come out and help the injured defenseman.  In true warrior fashion, Zadorov finally hauled himself up, cleared the puck, and headed for the locker room.

That’s a big indictment on the referees. The ice is white, blood is red, Zadorov is a big man. How do you miss all of that?

Anyway, the news on Zadorov is he’s “out indefinitely.” The Avs will run with their six remaining defensemen for tonight and make a callup from the Eagles for the upcoming road trip.

Meanwhile, the Avs also finished the game without their superstar, Nathan MacKinnon. The word at the time was that his pull was “precautionary” and that he missed today’s optional practice for a “maintenance day.”

But the Avalanche also recalled Jayson Megna from the Eagles. They had sent him back to Loveland in favor of T.J. Tynan, and why does Colorado need another forward?

Well, we’re not going to focus on that. Whomever suits up for the Avalanche tonight is going to have to find ways to win.

A good start is just that — a good start. The Colorado Avalanche came out and scored a goal against Nashville just 49 seconds into the game. They came out with pep in their step and ready to play.

They have also got to play some good defense. This Zadorov injury is the first to hit the Avs blueline. They still have their mainstays on defense.

Next. 6 Goals in 8 Minutes. dark

Well, the Colorado Avalanche have gotten back into the win column. It’s time for them to stay there.