DENVER — The streaking Colorado Avalanche welcome the struggling San Jose Sharks to Ball Arena, looking for a fourth straight win on Thursday night. Storylines aplenty will play out for a nationally televised audience.

This is the final game before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday afternoon. Two previous Avs players traded to the Sharks will return to Denver this evening. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is likely to play, however, Nikolai Kovalenko is on IR and will not play.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the ice, Mackenzie Blackwood will face his former team for the first time. While Givani Smith – also traded from the Sharks – will not play this evening, there’s plenty to look for this evening both on and off the ice.

Colorado Avalanche (36-24-2)

Colorado is enjoying life at the moment in the midst of a three-game win streak. It wasn’t the most put-together game last time out against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the Avs came out with the 4-1 win.

Scott Wedgewood was the first star of the game, bailing out the team in front of him several times. Artturi Lehkonen also chipped in with two goals. Casey Mittelstadt, still at risk of being traded, stood out with his game-winning goal in the final minutes of the third.


His goal was started thanks to a brilliant flip pass by Valeri Nichushkin. He continues to lead the line and be the difference in the lineup. Plus, Josh Manson could enter the lineup again after injury. Can they all combine to make it four in a row for Colorado?

Lines

Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Jonathan Drouin – Casey Mittelstadt – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta
Miles Wood – Jimmy Vesey – Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Sam Girard – Josh Manson
Ryan Lindgren – Keaton Middleton

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Scratches: Parker Kelly, Sam Malinski, Oliver Kylington

San Jose Sharks

San Jose continues to swim at the bottom of the Western Conference without much to play for. But as of late, they’ve found some winning form. Not only did they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in Ontario on Monday night, but they took care of business the next night against the Buffalo Sabres 6-2.

This is the final game of a season-long seven-game road trip. They haven’t played at the Shark Tank in the SAP Center since before the Four Nations Face-Off Tournament. Therefore, they’ll be looking to wrap up the trip on a high before finally heading home again.

William Eklund leads the team with 46 points in 58 games. But, Macklin Celebrini is the name to watch in Teal with 45 points in 51 games. They’ll get some additional help too. The Sharks traded goaltender Vitek Vanacek for Patrick Giles from the Florida Panthers, while also getting Vincent Desharnais from the Penguins for a 2028 fifth-round pick. Neither is expected to play just yet.

Lines

William Eklund – Alex Wennberg – Tyler Toffoli
Fabian Zetterlund – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith
Collin Graf – Barclay Goodrow – Luke Kunin
Carl Grundstrom – Ty Dellandrea – Klim Kostin

Jake Walman – Timothy Liljergen
Mario Ferraro – Shakir Mukhamadullin
Marc-Edouard – Jack Thompson

Alexandar Georgiev
Yaroslav Askarov

Game Details

Time: 7:30 p.m. MT

Watch: ESPN

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM