DENVER — Today will be one of the most important games that Colorado Avalanche plays this late in the season. They will take on the Dallas Stars, who sit only three points ahead on them in the standing in second place. The highlight of the day will be the return of longtime Avalanche Mikko Rantanen. Today will be his first game back to Ball Arena since being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on January 24. Both teams look very different from the last time they met. Dallas has added Rantanen, Cody Ceci, and Mikael Granlund.

Colorado Avalanche (40-24-3) Previous Game

The Avalanche wrapped up their road trip with a win against the Calgary Flames on Friday night. Despite a poor defensive effort from Colorado, a multi-goal game from Parker Kelly made the difference. Newcomer Ryan Lindgren, acquired from the New York Rangers on March 1, scored his first goal in an Avalanche sweater. The downside to the victory was that defenseman Josh Manson did not finish the game, leaving with an upper-body injury. With the win, the Avalanche now sits only three points behind the Dallas Stars in the Central Division. Dallas has two games in hand before today’s contest in Denver.

Colorado Avalanche Lines

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Jonathan Drouin — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta — Charlie Coyle — Ross Colton
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Ryan Lindgren — Sam Malinski
Samuel Girard — Erik Johnson

Mackenzie Blackwood

Scott Wedgewood

Scratches: Miles Wood, Keaton Middleton Josh Manson

Dallas Stars (42-21-2) Previous Game

The Dallas Stars played out a defensive grind against the number one Winnipeg Jets on Friday. The Jets started with some hard pressure on the Stars, scoring three unanswered goals. Connor Hellebuyck stood tall, not allowing a Dallas goal until the third period from Mason Marchment. Despite Jake Oettinger’s best efforts, the Jets’ strong defensive play secured a 4-1 win against the Stars. Oettinger stopped 22 of 26 shots.

Dallas Stars Lines

Jamie Benn — Wyatt Johnston — Mikko Rantanen
Jason Robertson — Matt Duchene — Mikael Granlund
Mason Marchment — Mavrik Bourque — Evgenii Dadonov
Oskar Back — Sam Steel — Colin Blackwell

Thomas Harley — Ilya Lyubushkin
Esa Lindell — Cody Ceci
Brendan Smith — Matt Dumba

Jake Oettinger

Casey DeSmith

Scratches: Lian Bichsel, Kyle Capobianco, Roope Hintz

Game Details

Time: 1:30 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude (in market), TNT, TruTV, MAX (out of market)

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM