Wednesday night in Vancouver: What it means for the Colorado Avalanche

On Wednesday night, the Colorado Avalanche will travel to Vancouver to meet the #1 team in the Pacific Division, the Vancouver Canucks. This is a significant game: if the Avalanche can beat the Canucks, it shows they have what it takes to rise to the top of the Central Division.

On Saturday, March 9th, the Canucks beat the Winnipeg Jets handily, 5-0. But the second-seed Jets sit atop the Avalanche in the Central Division rankings. A win for the Avalanche tomorrow against the Canucks will show that with Nichushkin back and the team’s post-trade deadline roster upgrades, the Avs can rise in rankings. Colorado, 40-20-5, trails the Jets, 41-18-5, by only two points, 87 to 85. 

The Canucks have some momentum on their side: they are coming off a four-game win streak and a nice three-day break before they play the Avalanche, and they will have home-ice advantage. But both times the Avalanche and the Canucks have met this season, the Avalanche have emerged victorious. And if you go back to last season, the Canucks are actually on a three-game losing streak to the Avs. 

During the Avs’ latest victory over the Canucks on February 20th, the now-traded Ryan Johansen scored two out of Colorado’s three goals. But it was really goalie Alexandar Georgiev who held back the Canucks: the man was a brick-wall in a challenging third period. Georgiev's performance in Friday's game against the Wild bodes well for tomorrow.

Tonight, the Avalanche will play the Flames in Calgary, so back-to-back travel games could prove exhausting. Plus, there's the news of Logan O'Connor's season ending surgery. If Colorado can win in Calgary, the Avs will match the Canuck’s four-game win streak. There is a real shot at taking down Vancouver tomorrow, and if Colorado can manage it, it will be a victory worth celebrating.