EJ ready to get this series started

No Avalanche player is more eager to get this first-round playoff series started with Calgary than Erik Johnson, the longest-tenured member of the team.

GAME NOTES

The 31-year-old defenseman, who joined the Avalanche in a multi-player trade with St. Louis on Feb. 18, 2011, has played 717 regular-season games, 514 with Colorado, but only seven playoff games.

This will be the Avalanche’s third playoff series since Johnson’s acquisition, but he missed last year’s six-game series with Nashville with a knee injury that also cost him the final five games of the regular season.

“Of course, it was tough,… he said. “I was with the team through the dog days of the season, back-to-backs in Calgary, Edmonton in November when you’re grinding away, so I definitely felt a part of it. I played over three-quarters of the games, so from that standpoint I knew I contributed a lot, but it was hard not to be there in front of our fans in Pepsi Center in Denver before the playoffs. It was hard to sit out, but I’m looking forward to doing that this year.…

My NHL.com story on GRUBI IN A GROOVE

Johnson’s only previous playoff experience in 11 NHL seasons came in 2014 when he had a goal and an assist in the Avalanche's seven-game loss to Minnesota in the first round.

“It means a lot,… Johnson said. “I’ve been here longer than anyone else has in this room, almost a decade, it’s a long time. I’ve mentioned previously that I’ve taken a lot of pride in being an Avalanche. I love playing for this team, this city and organization, so I put a lot of onus on my shoulders, so it feels good to go back to back in the playoffs for the first time in a long time.… The Avalanche finished with 38 wins and 90 points to earn the second wild card in the Western Conference for the second year in a row, following last year’s 47-point improvement to 95 points in the wake of the 48-point disaster in 2016-17.

(All times MT) Thurs, 8 p.m. at Calgary Sat, 8:30 p.m, at Calgary Mon, April 15, 8 p.m. Pepsi Center Wed, April 17, 8 p.m. Pepsi Center *Fri, April 19, TBD at Calgary *Sun,, April 21, TBD at Pepsi Center *Tue, April 23, TBD at Calgary * If necessary

Colorado has made it to the postseason in back-to-back seasons for the first time since from 1994-95 through 2005-2006, an 11-year streak that began in the 1995 playoffs, their final season in Quebec. The 2004-05 season was cancelled because of the lockout.

“Lots of down years, some good years,… said Johnson, who had seven goals and 18 assists in 80 games this season. “We won the division (in 2013-14), now back-to-back playoffs. There’s been some bright spots, there’s been a lot of second-guessing yourself.

“I know a lot of guys in here maybe could have taken the easy way out, maybe asked for a change of scenery, it wasn’t working out here, but for Gabe (Landeskog), Tyson (Barrie), myself, Nate (MacKinnon), we just wanted to stick it out. You want to finish off the business that you started.

“We’ve put a lot of time with this team and want to see it continue on. I’m the older guy in the group, so you never know how many more times you’re going to get to hoist the Cup, so you have to make every opportunity count.…

The Flames finished atop the Western Conference with 50 wins and 107 points, will play the first two games on home ice and are favored to advance, but the Avalanche aren’t intimidated despite losing all three regular-season games to Calgary.

“We’re excited, we know we’re the underdog,… Johnson said. “Calgary was the best team in our conference, it’s going to be a hostile environment. We’re looking forward to a fun series. We realize everyone probably outside of Denver isn’t giving us much of a chance, but we’re going to embrace the underdog role.

“Last year was maybe a feel-good story, no one expected us to be there. This year we expected it and in our minds we’re playing late in the spring and early in the summer.…

Probable lineup: Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Alexander Kerfoot Colin Wilson – Carl Soderberg – Mikko Rantanen Matt Calvert – Derick Brassard – J.T. Compher Matt Nieto – Tyson Jost – Gabriel Bourque

Samuel Girard – Erik Johnson Nikita Zadorov – Tyson Barrie Ian Cole – Patrik Nemeth

Philipp Grubauer Semyon Varlamov

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