Colorado Avalanche Must Take Control of Their Destiny Against Sabres
The Colorado Avalanche are hosting the Sabres in a game that can help the Avs take control of their own destiny.
The Colorado Avalanche are facing the Buffalo Sabres at home tonight. The Sabres are a team that’s pretty far down the standings right now — they’d have to leap frog four teams for a wild card spot.
The Avalanche could use a game in which they show no mercy against the Sabres. They’re still in a good playoff position, of course. However, they’ve dropped down to third in the Central Division.
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Colorado does have two games in hand over the Dallas Stars, whom they’re only one point behind. They have three games in hand over the St. Louis Blues, who are five points ahead of them.
A win tonight would be very helpful in solidifying their position in the standings. And it should be a winnable game despite all the injured players.
Let’s look at some of the key to a game that would let the Colorado Avalanche take control of their destiny.
Don’t Play Down to Opponents
The Colorado Avalanche are a good team, even without some of their injured players. By the way, as of the time of writing, Andre Burakovsy and Matthew Nieto were unlikely for tonight’s game.
Nonetheless, the Avs still have the skill and talent to win tonight’s game. They just can’t let themselves fall into their old trap of playing down to opponents. If they suffer mental lapses and try to get too cute tonight, they can fall to the Buffalo Sabres.
New Guys on Showcase
The Avs made two trades at the deadline on Monday. One we’ll be seeing tonight, and the other we’re hoping not to see at all.
Winger Vladislav Namestnikov should definitely be on the ice tonight. He practiced with the team yesterday, playing on a line with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Joonas Donskoi. I don’t want the Avs to get a penalty, but that’s his specialty. He was on the first team penalty kill yesterday at practice.
Though no announcements have been made, I expect to see Pavel Francouz in net tonight. So, we’ll see how Michael Hutchinson holds down the fort at the end of the bench.
Tyson Jost Update
He wasn’t traded.
Stop hating on him.
I have a bottle of 2009 Bordeaux I’m going to open when he scores again.
Why Jost is so Polarizing. dark. Next
How to Enjoy the Game
Game Time: Feb. 26, 6:00 pm MT
TV: NBCSN, SN, TVAS
Radio: Altitude Radio (FM 92.5/AM 950)
Tonight marks the second and final meeting between the two teams. Colorado beat the Sabres in Buffalo 6-1 on February 4.