Two captainless teams go to battle tonight in Colorado with the playoffs in sight. In their final push for a playoff berth, the Avalanche (34-29-13) find themselves shorthanded, with injuries to key players. Captain Gabriel Landeskog and sniper Mikko Rantanen remain out of the lineup, leaving the Avs without two point-per-game players for their matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights (42-28-6).
Nathan MacKinnon, Cody Eakin (USA Today Sports)
Currently tied at 81 points with the Arizona Coyotes, with a game in hand, the Avalanche have six more games to solidify their playoff position. With the Coyotes hot on their trail, Nathan MacKinnon and crew must find a way to beat some tough teams, starting tonight, with the Golden Knights.
With the Coyotes' win over the Chicago Blackhawks and their own loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Golden Knights have yet to officially clinch their own playoff berth. Their spot is all but mathmatically guaranteed and one win is all they need to make it official. Helping the cause will be the red-hot Reilly Smith, who has been a driver of the Golden Knights' offense of late. In the past five games, Smith has three goals and five assists, helping reignite one of the best lines in hockey last season.
Malcolm Subban has started the last five games for the Golden Knights, in Marc-Andre Fleury's absence (lower-body injury), compiling a 3-1-1 record over that stretch. It is unclear when Fleury will return, with a newborn baby in the mix. Subban has played well enough, but the value of game action outweighs any soft goal he may allow. Subban's first regular NHL action came just one season ago and the more comfortable he gets, the more the Golden Knights will benefit in the long run.
Even without Landeskog and Rantanen, the Avalanche can wreak havoc on even the best of teams. Matt Nieto will be drawing back into the lineup for tonight's game, bringing Coloardo closer to full strength. This road game could be tough on Vegas, as the Avs have some good young players up front. Mix that with a solid defense corps, headed by Tyson Barrie, and a legitimate MVP-type player in MacKinnon and anything is possible. In their stretch run, the Avalache have beaten a handful of good teams including three-in-a-row against the Wild, Stars, and Blackhawks. Backed by solid goaltending from the Stanley Cup champion Philipp Grubauer, the Avalanche have a chance to hang with a team of the Golden Knights' caliber.
Over their last two losses to the Detroit Red Wings and Blues, the Golden Knights have come out a bit flat. Known for their speed and tenacity, the Golden Knights need to establish the physical play and their forecheck early and often. The impending return of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Max Pacioretty will surely boost the club instantly. Until then, guys like Cody Eakin, Alex Tuch, and Will Carrier have to elevate their games for them to remain competitive. No official return date has been given for either forward, but Bellemare has practiced with the team and could suit up this evening.
At this time of the season, the two points usually go to the team that comes out fast, aggressive, and ready to play. Nathan MacKinnon will be a focal point throughout the game, for obvious reasons. He is an elite player and must be handled as such. It may be wise for the Golden Knights to utilize their fourth line of Bellemare centering Ryan Reaves and Carrier in order to establish their speed, tenacity, and aggressive forechecking. Setting the tone early will be the key. Which team will come out and take the game? Tune in at 7pm Pacific to find out!
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