The best-case scenario for the Avalanche on New Year's Eve: defeat Chicago at the Pepsi Center while Jarome Iginla scores his 600th career goal.
"It'll be a great atmosphere in the building, a fun night, but I'm trying to score every game," he said after practice Wednesday. "It's not like the focus will be there, it's just preparing for the game. Hopefully it happens sooner than later, but I just want to play good and help the team.
"I'd rather do it at home. The family will be there, my mom's here. It'd be cool. The guys have been great, they've been joking with me. It's been fun. Honestly, the focus is where it should be, trying to get back (into the playoffs), catching teams. You want the guys to play the right way, shoot if it's the play. You want their heads to be in the right place."
Iginla was looking at an empty net late in Monday's 6-3 win in San Jose when Nathan MacKinnon passed the puck to him, but his shot was blocked.
"Passing it, obviously it was the right thing to do," said MacKinnon, who shortly after found the vacated net to complete his second NHL hat trick. "It didn't even feel like a hat trick to me. I just wanted to be a part of (No. 600). I wish he had scored. As soon as we were out there, we were thinking of giving it to Iggy.
"We're linemates right now so hopefully I can be a part of it, selfishly. It's pretty special. Six-hundred goals is no joke, it's an unbelievable career. I'm sure it's on his mind and he just wants to get it over with. It'll be pretty cool when it happens."
Iginla will be the 19th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. After going nine games without a point, he has two goals and two assists in a four-game scoring streak. He's sixth on the Avalanche in scoring with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 37 games.
"You try not to (think about it)," Iginla said. "Sometimes it creeps in. 'Here's a chance, it might be it, it might be it.' We really just want to be playing, but it's easier said than done. When I was going for 500 you tried not to think about it. You try to play the same way. Playing with (Alex Tanguay) and Mack, I think we'll get some good chances. I'll be excited when I do get it."
Iginla was playing at home for Calgary when he scored his 500th goal. It came Jan. 7, 2012 against Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom in a 3-1 Flames win.
"It was a pretty ugly goal," he said. "I threw it to front of the net for a pass, it hit one of their skates and went in. At first I didn't even know that I had it, but I was excited about it."
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The swelling near Gabriel Landeskog's left eye has subsided quite a bit, but there is a purple bruise beneath the eye, which is bloodshot. San Jose's Dylan Demelo took a shot in the second period and puck hit Landeskog's visor, which was pushed into his face.
Landeskog, who returned to start the third period, said he was examined by an eye doctor Tuesday and the eye itself is fine.
"We put a bigger visor on just for my own safety for the next couple games and we'll see how that feels," he said. "It's really superficial right now, doesn't bother me. No fracture, nothing broken. It looks scarier than it really is. No pain, just the swelling is the only thing that bothers me."
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MacKinnon said it was a relief to end his slump Monday. He had seven assists but no goals in 14 games before getting three against the Sharks.
"I thought I had been playing pretty well," he said. "Now you're back feeing good, but I wasn't really bothered by it. I'd been there before, went 17 (games) last year. Life's good; we're winning and chasing the Predators (for a playoff spot) and whoever else. Nothing to complain about."
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Defenseman Brad Stuart took part in practice with a regular jersey and is getting close to returning, coach Patrick Roy said. Stuart has been out with a back injury. He last played Nov. 10 at Philadelphia.
Defenseman Nate Guenin has recovered from the concussion he sustained Dec. 21 against Toronto but will sit out his third game in a row Thursday. Brandon Gormley will play again.
The only lineup change from Monday: goalie Semyon Varlamov will start. He made 29 saves in a 3-0 win in Chicago on Dec. 15 when the Avalanche ended Patrick Kane's scoring streak at 26 games.
"I get it, there's going to be a lot of Chicago fans in the building," Roy said. "We're going to have to have a strong game and try to keep them quiet."