With nine of the next 10 games at the Pepsi Center, the Avalanche are well aware that this is where they must make a big push if they're going to gain a playoff spot.
They're five points out of the second wild card position in the Western Conference, which is likely to go to the Central Division's fifth-place team, heading into a four-game homestand that begins Thursday night against the New York Islanders.
"We're in (the playoff race) right now," Matt Duchene said after the morning skate. "We're not that far out. If that whole divisional crap was different we'd be in a playoff spot right now. That just gives us a bit more motivation."
The Avalanche (15-16-1, 31 points) have the eighth-best record in the conference, which would put them in the playoffs under the previous format. But because the top three teams in each division are guaranteed playoff berths, Arizona would get in as the third-place team in Pacific Division if the season ended today despite having 30 points.
Five of the eight Western participants are more than likely to come from the rugged Central, and the Avalanche trail fifth-place Nashville by five points with 50 games remaining.
Of course, the Avalanche would be in a much better spot now if not for a 4-7-1 home record. They've been just fine on the road, having swept Nashville, St. Louis and defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago on the just-completed three-game trip to improve to 11-9-0 away from home.
"We've done the job on the road, now it's a matter of playing the same game at home," Francois Beauchemin said. "It's not hard, it's between our ears. Keep things simple. Don't be thinking about what you should be doing. You know what you have to do, just execute it on the ice.
"Simplify, don't try to do too much just because we're home. We know what our record is, we know we have to be better. It's just a matter of playing the same simple game we've been playing on the road. We did it on the road against three tough teams."
Beauchemin said he hasn't felt any ill-effects from the hit he absorbed from Chicago's Andrew Shaw with about seven minutes left in Tuesday's game. Beauchemin appeared dazed and didn't play the rest of the way. Shaw was given a minor charging penalty but didn't face any supplementary discipline from the NHL.
"I'm just disappointed he didn't get anything, but sometimes they have to make tough decisions on tough plays and that was one of those plays," Beauchemin said. "He got me on the chin. I didn't have any headaches, no (concussion) symptoms. That was the biggest issue for me, just to come back (from Chicago) and make sure I woke up (Wednesday) and everything was fine."
So Beauchemin will be in the lineup against the Islanders, knowing the Avalanche need to give goalie Semyon Varlamov the same support he received against the Blackhawks; it was one of their better all-around defensive efforts.
Varlamov made 29 saves Tuesday, but he wasn't under siege the way he was Sunday in St. Louis, when he made a season-high 42 saves in a 3-1 win.
"We knew we had to be better against the Blackhawks than we were in St. Louis," Beauchemin said. "(The Blues) had way too many opportunities from the slot area. Last game was a really big improvement."
After a poor start, Varlamov is playing the way he did two years ago when he was a Vezina Trophy finalist and the Avalanche finished first in the division. He's won a season-best four consecutive games while stopping 124 of 128 shots for a 0.98 goals-against average and .969 save percentage.
A win against the Islanders (18-9-5), who are third in the Metropolitan Division, would give the Avalanche a .500 record for the first time since they were 2-2-0 on Oct. 16.
Thomas Greiss will start in goal for the Islanders, who were on an 8-0-2 roll before losing 5-1 Tuesday to Florida. They outshot the Panthers 19-2 in a scoreless first period and 34-16 overall against Roberto Luongo. Jaroslav Halak made 12 saves for New York.
Greiss made 25 saves in a 5-3 win against the Avalanche on Nov. 30 in Brooklyn. He has a 5-1-0 career record against Colorado with one shutout, a 2.01 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.
Here's the Avalanche lineup:
FORWARDS Gabriel Landeskog -Nathan MacKinnon - Matt Duchene Andreas Martinsen - Carl Soderberg - Blake Comeau Alex Tanguay - John Mitchell - Jarome Iginla Cody McLeod - Mikhail Grigorenko - Jack Skille
DEFENSE Francois Beauchemin - Erik Johnson Nick Holden - Tyson Barrie Zach Redmond - Nate Guenin
GOALIES Semyon Varlamov Reto Berra