Preview: Avs host Devils in quick rematch

SB Nation

The Avalanche had a busy weekend on the East Coast, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a very fruitful trip. We thought Colorado got off to a tremendous start until we saw how things have started for the Devils,

who have amassed 16/18 possible points out of the gate. The Avalanche did all they could to scratch and claw back into Sunday’s contest with the Devils, and that seems to be the theme of the last week for Jared Bednar and the boys. Can they get back into the win column, or will they fall victim to a red-hot Devils squad twice in three days?

Colorado Avalanche: 5-1-4

The Opponent: New Jersey Devils 8-1-0

Time: 7:00 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN+

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have secured 14/20 points on the regular season themselves, but it’s been a bit rough as of late, as they’ve lost four straight, with three of the losses coming in overtime or shootout variety. A frustrating reality for fans who have seen one particular element go completely silent.

The Colorado Avalanche power play is in shambles, and we are hearing all about it. The Avs can only blame themselves for the development of this narrative as they scapegoated the power play and Ray Bennett in the off-season.

Turns out it might not be the approach but the personnel, and, understandably, that’s not all that easy to understand. The Avalanche’s top group on paper should be excellent on the power play, but in reality, they are more productive at even strength. Something has to give for this squad, which is currently 4/39 (10.26%) on the man advantage, ranking 30th in the league. The Avalanche have scored one power play goal in the seven games since Nathan MacKinnon said, “I guess they just don’t know what a good power play looks like,” in reference to the fans booing the power play against Dallas. Not a good look.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Viktor Olofsson — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Gabe Landeskog — Jack Drury — Ross Colton
Parker Kelly — Zakhar Bardakov — Gavin Brindley

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Josh Manson — Brent Burns
Ilya Solovyov — Sam Malinski

Scott Wedgewood
Trent Miner

New Jersey Devils

The Devils are off and running, and it’s primarily due to the availability of Jack Hughes, who clearly elevates this team into a playoff contender with the potential to make a real run at it. New Jersey has scored first in all eight of their victories, so it’s safe to say they know how to get out on the right foot.

It’s always interesting to see how a home-and-home series affects players, with the second game coming at altitude in Colorado. Most experts say the effects of altitude don’t hit you until the second or third day, so it may be a non-factor for the Devils, but it’s always something to keep an eye on.

Another thing to keep an eye on is the physicality in this contest. It should come as no surprise that teams playing each other multiple times in a short time frame creates some animosity, and in this home-and-home situation, the potential for things bubbling to the surface is at an all-time high.