It may not seem like it, but the Colorado Avalanche face a crucial road game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The game is the first leg of a back-to-back set this week, opening up a bit of a busy schedule to kick off November.
The Avs are coming off consecutive 5-2 wins, beating the Calgary Flames and the New Jersey Devils. And while the Blackhawks are currently last in the Central Division, this game is far from a walk in the park.
But more than the evident need to extend the winning streak, there’s something else at play here. The Avalanche have lost their last three road games, and Monday's matchup offers an opportunity to put that stretch behind them.
That’s why Colorado can’t afford to come out flat in this one. This is the type of game that the Avalanche have to dominate. Perhaps a blowout may not necessarily be in the cards, but this is a game that the Avs cannot afford to chase. They’ll be in Columbus on Tuesday night, so the sooner they can put this game away, the easier it will be on the team moving forward.
Needless to say, a loss against the division’s last-place team would open up major questions about the club’s uneven play this season.
Blackhawks have enough talent to make this matchup competitive
The Blackhawks have enough young offensive talent to make things uncomfortable if Colorado gives them room to operate. Connor Bedard remains the obvious player to watch, while Anton Frondell has quietly become another interesting contributor. Frondell has three goals and five assists this season, and Roman Kantserov has added five goals over his last 10 games.
Chicago's biggest challenge will be finding a way to generate enough offense against an Avalanche team that has been considerably more productive. Colorado is averaging 4.19 goals per game this season, and MacKinnon already has nine goals and 15 assists.
The concern here, as we’ve seen in other games earlier this season, lies with the Avalanche coming out slow. The Blackhawks will an incentive to get a big win over a major division rival. As a result, the Avs cannot allow Chicago to gain any sort of momentum on the night.
One other thing: The Avalanche power play has begun to regain some momentum. It’s a sign that the Avalanche are looking more like their dominant selves. That’s a positive sign, potentially showing that the club is finding more consistency.
As we’ve pointed out earlier, consistency will be a major part of what the Avalanche need to establish now that the calendar has turned to November.
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