LOS ANGELES — Just two games remain in the regular season for the Colorado Avalanche. For the first time this season, they head to LA to go up against the Los Angeles Kings in a Saturday afternoon matinee.

This third and final matchup between these two teams this season doesn’t mean much for the Avs, who are all but locked into a matchup with the Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, LA will look to avoid the season sweep against Colorado while eyeing home-ice advantage.

Colorado Avalanche (48-28-4)

Colorado was flat and disappointing in their final regular-season game at Ball Arena on Thursday night. They fell to the Vancouver Canucks in a 4-1 final, spoiling fan appreciation night.

Again, the Avs didn’t have much to play for, and health is the real concern moving forward. Hence, there will be a much different lineup for these final two games. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Ross Colton, Jonathan Drouin, and Josh Manson did not even travel with the team to California. Instead, they stayed back and watched Gabriel Landeskog’s return to professional hockey with the Colorado Eagles on Friday night.

Going the other way up the pipeline included Jack Ahcan, Jere Innala, and Wyatt Aamodt. If Aamodt slots in, it would be an NHL debut, and the 49th different player to suit up for the Avs this season. Colorado can still get to 50 wins this season, and it requires a win.

Projected Lines

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

Sam Girard (49) – Sam Malinski (70)
Keaton Middleton (67) – Erik Johnson (6)
Jack Ahcan (16) – Wyatt Aamodt (5)

Mackenzie Blackwood (39)
Scott Wedgewood (41)

Los Angeles Kings (45-24-9)

LA took it to their cross-town rivals on Thursday night in a dominant effort. It ended in a 6-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. It continued the home-ice dominance for the Kings at the Crypto.com Arena this season.

That was the 30th win of the season on home ice for LA, officially sitting at a record of 30-5-4. Even then, the Kings have been on a hot stretch, going 7-3 in the last 10 games. The home wins have been crucial and just might make the difference in the postseason. It’s looking to be a fourth-straight matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, and as of now, it would be the first time LA had home-ice advantage.

They hold a slim two-point advantage over the Oilers. Even then, they have a slim chance to catch the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific Division. Nonetheless, two huge points are at stake against a Colorado team without much to play for. However, they’ll be without a few key players. Drew Doughty, Alex Turcotte, Joel Edmundson, and Tanner Jeannot are all day-to-day.

Projected Lines

Andrei Kuzmenko (96) – Anze Kopitar (11) – Adrian Kempe (9)
Kevin Fiala (22) – Quinton Byfield (55) – Alex Laferriere (14)
Warren Foegele (37) – Phillip Danault (24) – Trevor Moore (12)
Jeff Malott (39) – Samuel Helenius (79) – Trevor Lewis (61)

Mikey Anderson (44) – Brandt Clarke (92)
Vladislav Gavrikov (84) – Jordan Spence (21)
Jacob Moverare (43) – Kyle Burroughs (7)

Darcy Kuemper (35)
David Rittich (31)

Game Details

Time: 2:00 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, FDSNW, ESPN+ (Out of Market Only)

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM