The Avalanche open yet another crucial road trip Wednesday in Vancouver, followed by games in Calgary on Friday and in Edmonton on Sunday.
"We have 12 (games) left that we have to make hay with," Matt Duchene said after practice Tuesday. "We have to find ways to win them. It doesn't matter how, we just have to get it done."
The Avalanche and Minnesota each had 74 points before the Wild played in Ottawa on Tuesday night in the race for the second wild card playoff position in the Western Conference. The Wild had played one fewer game before meeting the Senators.
"You can't just keep missing the playoffs, you're just taking steps backwards," Duchene said. "We have to make it this year ... if we don't make it, it's a step backwards. There's that old saying, 'You're either getting better or you're getting worse, you're never staying the same,' and that's so true in hockey.
"We've shown that we're capable of being that team that can make the playoffs and compete. But now it's time to follow through on it. We have to treat every single game like we're playing the best team in the league."
Duchene said it probably was a good thing to have three days to get over Saturday's 3-2 loss in Winnipeg, when the Avalanche blew a 2-0 lead. It was 2-1 going to the third period, which has been a disaster this season. The Avalanche have lost six times in regulation after taking a lead into the third, with two other losses coming in overtime.
"We are pretty even keel right now, but that was a tough one," Duchene said. "We lose to a non-playoff team after being up 2-0 late in the second. Those are games we have to win. It's good to reflect and realize what we did wrong and what we did right. We didn't play a terrible hockey game. Too quick plays in the third period and that was it.
"We have to have the mental strength and the confidence to get it done (in the third). If we play the last 20 (minutes) the way we play the first 40 a lot of times we're going to win those games. That last game, it could have been a 5-0 game if we stepped on their throat. We got into penalty trouble and after the second we have to regroup and come back out and push."
Duchene said the Avalanche too often change their style of play in the third period, playing too passively.
"We almost back off a little bit and go into a shell," he said. "Our identity is to be aggressive and to push. I'm not saying being reckless but knowing the time of game and making it hard on (the opponent) to sustain so much zone time. It feels like we get buzzed in our own end a lot." *****
Tyson Barrie practiced after a "maintenance" day Monday to take treatment for a minor hamstring injury. He said he'll play against the Canucks.
Chris Bigras practiced with an orange non-contact jersey and did some skating by himself while the team went through some drills at the opposite end of the rink.
Coach Patrick Roy didn't address the media after, so it isn't known if Bigras will play against the Canucks. He is on the trip but had to pass another test as part of the protocol for returning from a concussion.
Bigras was hurt March 5 against Nashville and has missed three games. He took part in the full practice Monday.
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Goalie Semyon Varlamov will start in Vancouver and Calgary, with Calvin Pickard getting the start in Edmonton. Captain Gabriel Landeskog will be eligible to return from his three-game suspension against the Oilers.