Seattle has also lost three straight, which streak ends tonight?
The Colorado Avalanche are returning to Ball Arena after their quick trip to Nashville. The Avs have had four of the last five days off and are looking to use that to their advantage as they try and end their three game losing streak against the Seattle Kraken.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche have been riding a skid lately, heavily impacted by the team’s decimated forward core. That group is going to get some much needed reinforcement tonight as Artturi Lehkonen makes his season debut for the Avalanche after offseason shoulder surgery.
Last year Lehkonen had 34 points in 45 games that season, a big boost for the Avs offense. Where his presence will be most notable is in front of the net. The Avalanche have struggled to put the puck in the net, largely because of a lack of netfront presence. Lehkonen had 16 goals last year, largely from the home plate area.
His addition will also push some wingers that were playing in elevated roles back to a more comfortable position. There’s no doubt his return makes a big impact for the Avs as they look to end their second losing streak of three plus games.
Projected Lines
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Joel Kiviranta – Casey Mittelstadt – Logan O’Connor
Ivan Ivan – Parker Kelly – Nikolai Kovalenko
Nikita Prishchepov – Chris Wagner – TJ Tynan
Sam Girard – Cale Makar
Devon Toews – Josh Manson
Calvin De Haan – Sam Malinski
Seattle Kraken
After a pretty solid start to the season the Kraken are also riding a three game losing streak. In their past three games Seattle has only scored a total of one goal. If you thought the Avs two goals per game was bad then Seattle is down in the trenches currently.
Seattle is going to be desperate to salvage their roadtrip (that started on the east coast) after going 1-3 to start.
Brandon Montour will be out tonight after he went back to Seattle for the birth of his child. In his replacement the Kraken recalled Ryan Winterton from Coachella Valley.
Projected Lines
Jared McCann – Matty Beniers – Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz – Chandler Stephenson – Andre Burakovsky
Eeli Tolvanen – Shane Wright – Oliver Bjorkstrand
Tye Kartye – Yanni Gourde – Brandon Tanev
Ryker Evans – Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak – Brandon Montour
Joshua Mahura – Will Borgen
Goaltenders
Justus Annunen will return to the net for the Colorado Avalanche after posting his second sub .900 game in a row in a loss to the Nashville Predators. However, posted a .926 in the Avs first matchup against Seattle this year.
Philipp Grubauer will be in net for the Kraken as he returns to his old stomping grounds in Colorado. He has lost four of his five starts and has an .886 on the season.