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) Previous Game
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.
San Jose Sharks (17-37-9) Previous Game
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.
Colorado Avalanche 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 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
