Preview: Red Wings visit Avalanche in a quick rematch

SB Nation

The Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings are set to meet for the second time in just three days, this time at Ball Arena in downtown Denver, CO. This quick turnaround and second game of a home-and-home

should make for some unsettled tension after the first installment featured extracurriculars and a stellar performance from MacKenzie Blackwood, who logged the shutout. Will the Avalanche beat their old rival yet again? Or will the Wings steal one at a mile high?

Colorado Avalanche: 36-8-9

The Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (32-18-7)

Time: 7:00 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN+

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche is an interesting group right now with a litany of injuries and what feels like waning interest at times, all resulting in the first real dip in success.

They looked plenty interested last time out, and leading the way in that regard was Nathan MacKinnon, who is undoubtedly getting all tuned up and ready for his appearance at this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

A 5-0 shutout is just about as ideal as a scoreline can be, but make no mistake, even MacKinnon told Erik Johnson on the ABC broadcast that, “It was more competitive than the score said it was…”

Speaking of MacKinnon, he is just one assist shy of logging his 700th career apple so keep an eye on that this evening. EJ has clarified that he did not get a spray tan but leaned toward being too tan rather than too pale when giving the makeup artist instructions ahead of the broadcast. I don’t buy it.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Gavin Brindley
Taylor Makar — Zakhar Bardakov — Joel Kiviranta

Sam Malinski — Cale Makar
Josh Manson — Brent Burns
Keaton Middleton — Samuel Girard

MacKenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Detroit Red Wings

The Wings are a solid club and feel like a playoff team this season, despite not showing much of that in Saturday’s game. Getting to the playoffs would end a nine-year drought in Detroit and would do a lot to validate the work being done by management and coaches alike. Todd MacLellan’s mid-season hire (last year) still looks like a solid move from Steve Yzerman and company, and the group as a whole is starting to form an identity with Patrick Kane still logging points and young, establishing talents.

Detroit’s captain Dylan Larkin called Saturday’s loss a “bump in the road,” and spoke about the Avalanche being beatable and having lots to play for in tonight’s rematch. We shall see how that turns out!