The Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets wrap up their season sequence on Wednesday night time in Denver, and each groups are hoping to rebound from disappointing losses on Monday.
Colorado had a flat efficiency in a 3-1 dwelling loss to Minnesota and missed an opportunity to leap the Wild within the Central Division, whereas Winnipeg had what coach Scott Arniel mentioned was an “embarrassing efficiency” at Utah.
The distinction is the Jets have extra room for error. They’re comfortably atop the Central Division with the second-most factors within the NHL whereas the Avalanche are attempting to scramble out of wild-card purgatory.
That made the lackluster offensive effort in opposition to Minnesota extra irritating for coach Jared Bednar, who has lamented his workforce’s gradual begins of late. His gamers acknowledge that.
“Up till the final 10 minutes, there wasn’t a lot urgency all through,” Cale Makar mentioned. “We have got to ensure we discover that early and play the entire sport like that.”
Colorado has gotten more healthy these days and should get top-six ahead Valeri Nichushkin again quickly from a lower-body damage that has stored him out of the final 10 video games.
When he has performed, Nichushkin’s presence makes issues simpler on the highest strains. He has 11 objectives in 21 video games and is a drive in entrance of the web. He additionally makes teammates like Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen extra harmful.
MacKinnon continues to guide the NHL in scoring with 74 factors (18 objectives, 56 assists), Rantanen is sixth with 63 factors (25 objectives, 38 assists) and Makar, with 52 factors (15 objectives, 37 assists), is the highest-scoring defenseman.
Even with that expertise, the Avalanche have but to resolve Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, who leads all NHL goalies in wins (28), save proportion (.927), goals-against common (2.02) and shutouts (six). Two of these shutouts have come in opposition to Colorado, and he might be again in internet after permitting 4 objectives to Utah.
The Jets could also be with out captain Adam Lowry, who left Monday’s sport after the primary interval. Lowry slid awkwardly into the boards within the first, returned to play just a few shifts, however did not play after the intermission.
Arniel did not have an replace on Lowry postgame and Winnipeg didn’t follow Tuesday.
Lowry is seventh on the workforce in scoring with 26 factors (11 objectives, 15 assists). Kyle Connor’s 60 factors (26 objectives, 34 assists) and Mark Scheifele 54 factors (27 objectives, 27 assists) set the tempo for the Jets.
Winnipeg is simply 4-4-2 in its final 10 video games and has dropped its final two. The second loss — 5-2 at Utah — was bothersome to Arniel and the gamers due to the way in which they performed.
“That’s not Winnipeg Jets hockey,” Nikolaj Ehlers mentioned. “It is not the primary time this yr we have performed this fashion and when you do not play the best method on this league, would not matter who you are enjoying in opposition to, you are not profitable that sport and also you’re letting our goalies down.”
Winnipeg has gained two of the primary three video games in opposition to the Avalanche, with the house workforce holding serve in every sport.
–Subject Stage Media