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The Colorado Avalanche (29-20-2) close out their three-game road trip against the New York Islanders (21-20-7) on Tuesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:38 p.m. MT.
READ MORE: Did Mikko Rantanen Force Chris MacFarland’s Hand?
The Avs came away with a big win against the Rangers in their last game. With more time to get acclimated, Martin Necas was excellent on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and finished with two assists. He also hit the post multiple times, getting ever so close to his first goal in an Avalanche uniform.
Cale Makar also was great at MSG, scoring two goals and assisting on Artturi Lehkonen’s late game-winning goal after exiting the box.
In the first meeting earlier in the year against Patrick Roy and the Islanders, Colorado fell 6-2 backstopped by Alexandar Georgiev. They’re going with Mackenzie Blackwood this time around. Blackwood is 10-4-2 with the Avs and boasts a .922 save percentage. He hasn’t faced the Islanders since 2022 during his days with New Jersey.
The only change the Avs are making is on defense. Keaton Middleton will be healthy scratched in favor of Calvin de Haan, who draws in against the team that drafted him in 2009. The Avs’ forward lines are expected to remain the same.
READ MORE: Rantanen Traded, What’s Next? — Avalanche Trade Board 2.0
The Isles haven’t had a great season but are playing their best hockey to date. They’re riding a four-game winning streak and are 7-3-0 in their last 10. They also traded for defenseman Scott Perunovich from the Blues on Monday.
The Isles are a fascinating team heading into the trade deadline. If they continue to win, will they pull the plug on shipping out rentals like Brock Nelson? It’s still too early to say given how many teams stand between them and the second wildcard spot. Their chances are very slim, but a win against the Avs could bring them closer to needing to decide that.
Ilya Sorokin is expected to get the nod for New York. He’s 1-2-2 in five starts versus the Avs, including a 46-save shutout in a 1-0 shootout loss in December 2022. The October matchup earlier this season was his first win against Colorado.
READ MORE: Deen’s View: The Avalanche’s Calculated but Risky Gamble in Trading Mikko Rantanen (+)
Season Series
- Oct. 14 vs New York Islanders (L, 6-2)
- Jan. 28 at New York Islanders
Avalanche Injuries
- Valeri Nichushkin (lower body, week-to-week)
- Oliver Kylington (upper body, IR)
- Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)
Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)
Jonathan Drouin — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Juuso Parssinen — Casey Mittelstadt — Artturi Lehkonen
Miles Wood – Jack Drury – Ross Colton
Joel Kiviranta — Parker Kelly — Logan O’Connor
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Calvin de Haan — Sam Malinski
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Projected Starters (subject to change)
- Confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
- Unconfirmed: Ilya Sorokin (NYI)
Upcoming Milestones
- Devon Toews — needs 1 assist for 200
- Martin Necas — needs 2 points for 300
- Nathan MacKinnon — needs 4 PPG for 100
- Logan O’Connor — needs 4 points for 100
- Mackenzie Blackwood — needs 9 wins for 100
How to Watch
- TV: ESPN+, hulu
- Radio: 92.5 FM
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