Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Utah Hockey Club (7:00 p.m)

It’s a Colorado Avalanche gameday!

The Utah Hockey Club will make their Ball Arena debut in a contest against the Colorado Avalanche tonight in Denver, CO. This first meeting of the new clubs in Denver will be the second game in a season series that the Avalanche currently lead 1-0 after a decisive 5-1 victory back in October. Tonight’s game won’t offer Avs fans their first glimpse of newly acquired netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, but instead, another look at Scott Wedgewood. Will Utah end Colorado’s run, or will the Avalanche assert dominance?

Colorado Avalanche

If you didn’t know, the Avalanche have a brand new goalie, and his arrival completes a netminder room that I’ve dubbed “The Woodshed.” When the Avalanche got solid netminding, they won more often than not. The Avalanche are 11-1 in games where they allow two goals or less. Moreover, they are 17-2 in games where they’ve allowed four goals or less, proving the Avalanche can score their way into victories and need a few key saves to keep them in any game. Perhaps they can get consistent play from The Woodshed and start making headway inside the division.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Ross Colton — Casey Mittelstadt — Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta — Parker Kelly — Logan O’Connor
Givani Smith — Ivan Ivan — Chris Wagner

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski
Keaton Middleton — Calvin de Haan

Utah Hockey Club

The team with no name has arrived in Denver, but the writing appears to be on the wall. They will soon likely be referred to as the Utah Yeti. Combine that gross reality with their former Arizona-ness, and it should fuel the fire of a potential division rivalry. Utah has a long way to go in establishing themselves as a formidable foe. Still, they have a plenty talented roster, and animosity existed between the Coyotes and Avalanche before relocation. Geographic location often dictates rivalries, and Denver and Salt Lake are just 519 miles apart. I boldly predict an outdoor game between these clubs within the next three seasons.

Projected Lineup:

Clayton Keller — Barrett Hayton — Nick Schmaltz
Jack McBain — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther
Matias Maccelli — Nick Bjugstad — Lawson Crouse
Alex Kerfoot — Kevin Stenlund — Michael Carcone

Mikhail Sergachev — Olli Maatta
Ian Cole — Michael Kesselring
Juuso Valimaki — Robert Bortuzzo

Goaltenders

It’s likely Scott Wedgewood vs. Karel Vejmelka tonight, with Vejmelka being Utah’s unconfirmed starter.