DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche plays in the regular-season home game finale Thursday night. It comes with a matchup against the visiting Vancouver Canucks.

Both teams have their plans all but made in the next few weeks. Vancouver is out of the running, whereas the Avalanche are locked into third place in the Central Division. Regardless, both will look for a win over the other to end their campaigns.

Colorado Avalanche (48-27-4)

Colorado went the distance against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night. They came back from 2-0 down and managed to take down the Knights behind Charlie Coyle’s goal in the shootout.

Despite the win, there will be some changes in the Avalanche lineup. They’ll be helped by the return of both Martin Necas and Samuel Girard. However, they lose both Nathan MacKinnon and Ryan Lindgren. MacKinnon has been dealing with a nagging injury, while Lindgren was hurt in the last game, holding his back.

With things pretty much set in stone, missing players and resting are key for health entering the playoffs. But, they will have to hope it’s nothing too major, which would continue into the playoffs. They still will be without Jonathan Drouin, Ross Colton, or Josh Manson in the finale.

Marty Necas and Sam Girard will play tonight. Drouin and Manson will not. Drouin is a possibility this weekend. Manson, we'll see.

— Ryan Boulding (@rboulding.bsky.social) 2025-04-10T17:15:20.026Z

Projected Lines

Artturi Lehkonen (62) – Brock Nelson (11) – Martin Necas (88)
Miles Wood (28) – Charlie Coyle (10) – Valeri Nichushkin (13)
Joel Kiviranta (94) – Parker Kelly (17) – Logan O’Connor (25)
Jimmy Vesey (26) – Jack Drury (18) – Chris Wagner (14)

Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)
Samuel Girard (49) – Sam Malinski (70)
Keaton Middleton (67) – Erik Johnson (6)

Mackenzie Blackwood (39)
Scott Wedgewood (41)

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver made history in its last game. They faced off against the Dallas Stars, where they were on track for a rough loss. But down 5-2 in the final minute, they roared back with three goals to take it to overtime. Former Av Kiefer Sherwood scored the overtime winner to shock Dallas amidst their chase to catch the Winnipeg Jets. It was the first time in the NHL that a team scored three goals in the final minute and won.

While they hindered the Stars’ chances to top the Central Division, Vancouver wasn’t able to help themselves. They are already eliminated from the playoffs, and their appearance last year looks to be a one-off. Locker room issues hurt them all year, and they did not receive much support to help Elias Pettersson or Quinn Hughes. Pettersson is now out, which doesn’t help either.

Hughes might still have a horse in the race for the Norris trophy. His main competitor, Cale Makar, is at the other end of the ice and is arguably a favorite. But if Hughes helps his side spoil the home regular-season finale for Colorado, it might just give him another edge.

Projected Lines

Nils Hoglander (21) – Pius Suter (24) – Conor Garland (8)
Jake DeBrusk (74) – Max Sasson (63) – Brock Boeser (6)
Dakota Joshua (81) – Aatu Raty (54) – Kiefer Sherwood (44)
Drew O’Connor (18) – Teddy Blueger (53) – Linus Karlsson (94)

Quinn Hughes (43) – Filip Hronek (17)
Marcus Pettersson (29) – Victor Mancini (90)
Derek Forbort (27) – Elias Nils Pettersson (25)

Kevin Lankinen (32)
Thatcher Demko (35)

Game Details

Time: 7:00 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, KTVD Ch. 20, ESPN+ (Out of Market Only)

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM