The Colorado Avalanche will be taking on the Vancouver Canucks in a Western Conference showdown featuring teams trending in opposite directions.
The Avs are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and have reached the century mark in points this season. Their 48 wins firmly place the Avs in third place in the Central Division.
The Avalanche are coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Vegas Golden Knights last Tuesday night. The win was crucial as the club's last two games were very different. The Avs lost their last game in regulation against the St. Louis Blues following a blowout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road.
As for the Canucks, the club is 4-4-2 in their last 10. The Canucks have been officially eliminated from playoff contention this season. As such, the Canucks will be looking to play out the string as they look to build momentum for next season.
The Avalanche should not look at this contest as a walk in the park. Colorado needs to go out there and play their best game as building momentum is crucial heading into the 2025 NHL playoffs.
With the Avalanche likely facing the Dallas Stars in the first round, finding their groove is paramount to ensuring a solid showing in the playoffs. Moreover, the Avalanche must now shift their mindset from “regular season mode” to “playoff mode.”
The game should be an entertaining one with plenty of pride on the line for both squads.
Looking at Colorado Avalanche lineup against Vancouver Canucks
The main story for the Colorado Avalanche heading into their matchup against the Canucks is the injuries afflicting the team.
Let’s start with Jonathan Drouin. He continues listed as day-to-day, but there is no word on his return to the lineup on Thursday night. He remains questionable and will likely not play against the Canucks.
Then, there’s Martin Necas. Necas is also day-to-day. There is no word on the precise nature of his ailments. Like Drouin, it’s unclear when he might return to the lineup. However, it’s more than likely he sits against the Canucks.
Lastly, Ross Colton continues to deal with injury issues this season. Colton was a surprise scratch against the Vegas Golden Knights. Colton has been ruled out for the foreseeable future. At this point, losing Colton for the remainder of the regular season seems insignificant as long as he’s ready to hit the ice in the playoffs.
As for Samuel Girard and Josh Manson, they will hopefully see game action before the end of the regular season so they can be ready for Game 1 against the Dallas Stars. In the meantime, Keaton Middleton and Erik Johnson will man the third pairing.