The Avalanche can't rely on power-play magic and come-from-behind-play again Thursday in Edmonton in the second game of their three-game road trip.
Here are the
GAME NOTES.
After going 1-for-28 on power plays in an eight-game stretch, the Avalanche went 5-for-6 Tuesday and rallied for a 5-4 overtime win in overtime in Vancouver.
They went 1-for-1 in a 4-3 overtime win in Edmonton on Feb. 1, then hit the aforementioned slump, which included getting exactly one shot on goal while going 0-for-3 on power plays in a 4-2 loss to the Oilers on Sunday at the Pepsi Center.
Tyson Barrie had a career-high five points (one goal, four assists) Tuesday
while
Nathan MacKinnon, in his second game after missing eight with a shoulder injury, had four points (one goal, three assists).
Mikko Rantanen had three points (one goal, two assists) and
Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and an assist.
“Our power play was due,” MacKinnon told the
Denver Post. "We’ve had a tough time scoring goals on the road all season. And the big thing is, the power play on the road, we were last in the league. I’m sure we’re not anymore (they're 25th), but that was a big reason why we weren’t winning on the road. So hopefully that boosts us.”
MacKinnon already has set career bests for goals (25), assists (40), points (65), power-play goals (nine) and game-winning goals (eight).
Semyon Varlamov will make his third consecutive start with
Jonathan Bernier remaining in Colorado under concussion protocol. Varlamov had 36 saves in Sunday's loss.
He hasn't fared well in his career against the Oilers, posting a 7-11-0 record with a 3.15 goals-against average and .901 save percentage.
The Avalanche are three points behind Minnesota for the second wild card playoff position in the Western Conference. The Wild play in New Jersey on Thursday and in New York on Friday against the Rangers, who also will be playing the second game of a back-to-back Friday after playing in Montreal.
Six players are on injured reserve:
Sven Andrighetto, Mark Barberio, Jonathan Bernier, Erik Johnson, Vladislav Kamenev and
Anton Lindholm.
They'll use same lineup as Tuesday:
FORWARDS
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Blake Comeau
Gabriel Bourque -- Alexander Kerfoot -- J.T. Compher
Colin Wilson -- Tyson Jost -- Nail Yakupov
DEFENSE
Nikita Zadorov -- Tyson Barrie
Patrik Nemeth -- Samuel Girard
Duncan Siemens -- David Warsofsky
GOALIES
Semyon Varlamov
Andrew Hammond
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • 
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