Preview: Avalanche look to keep streaking against Blue Jackets as long homestand begins

Colorado is on a seven-game win streak heading into this contest.

Home, sweet home.

After a lengthy road trip, the Avalanche are back home for the first time in 14 days for a visit with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Currently riding a seven game win streak that saw the Colorado Avalanche sweep a four-game road trip, the Avs are playing their best hockey of the season at the right moment, and have an opportunity to start an extended home streak in explosive fashion against an inferior opponent.

Colorado Avalanche: (44-20-5)

The Avs are humming along heading into this five-game homestand. Winners of seven consecutive games, Colorado has an opportunity to continue to rack up the win column against a Blue Jackets team that has struggled immensely this season.

Currently in a three-way tie atop the Central Division with the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars at 93 points, Colorado has a chance to reclaim the lone spot in first place tonight. The Jets lost in regulation to the New Jersey Devils last night, and now have an identical record to the Avalanche.

Winnipeg holds the tiebreaker, but a win tonight for the Avs is more pressure on the Jets, who square off against the New York Islanders on the road for a matinee affair on Saturday. The Dallas Stars, who have 70 games played to the Avs and Jets 69, face the Pittsburgh Penguins on home ice tonight. Go Sid!

Nathan MacKinnon, who is currently riding a 16-game point streak underneath his 32 game home point streak, sits five points behind Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov for the NHL scoring lead with 122 points. MacKinnon and the Avs will continue to stick to the formula that has always made them successful; one game at a time, but if the streak withstands through this homestand, he’ll be knocking on the door of history.

Mikko Rantanen, coming off of a hat trick performance against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, is also scorching hot coming into tonight’s game. With points in 12 of his last 14 games, he’s found his offensive groove at the right time, as the Avs look to propel MacKinnon to his first Art Ross and Hart trophies.

Alexandar Georgiev will get the nod in net tonight for the Avs. He’s also playing really good hockey right now. In his last five starts, he’s 4-1-0 with a .919 SV% and a 2.35 GAA. He’ll be looking for fifth consecutive win tonight, and his 36th on the season.

Projected Lines:

Valeri Nichushkin (13) – Nathan MacKinnon (29) – Mikko Rantanen (96)

Artturi Lehkonen (62) – Casey Mittelstadt (37) – Jonathan Drouin

Brandon Duhaime (12) – Ross Colton (20) – Zach Parise (9)

Miles Wood (28) – Yakov Trenin (73) – Andrew Cogliano (11)

Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)

Samuel Girard (49) – Josh Manson (42)

Jack Johnson (3) – Sean Walker (26)

Alexandar Georgiev (40)

Justus Annunen (60)

Columbus Blue Jackets: (23-34-12)

Things looked very different the last time the Avalanche met the Columbus Blue Jackets in Sweden for the NHL’s Global Series in Tampere, Finland back in November 2022. There will only be seven players dressed from those games.

Since then, the club has been in a spiral, as they replaced last season’s head coach Brad Larsen with the infamous Mike Babcock. Go figure, Babcock did something very controversial and was canned immediately. Pascal Vincent took over head duties, but the club hasn’t found any additional success this season. They’re still a bottom feeder in the NHL. The club fired general manager Jarmo Kekalainen in February, and will continue their rebuilding process.

On the ice, the team is battling a major injury bug. Some of their premiere players have been shelved for long periods of time, and that won’t be changing any time soon. Here’s the list of injuries for the Columbus Blue Jackets heading into tonight’s contest.

Injured/Scratched:

Zach Werenski (8), Adam Fantilli (11), Adam Boqvist (27), Sean Kuraly (7), Patrik Laine (29), Justin Danforth (17), Kent Johnson (91), Yegor Chinakhov (59)

Werenski, Boqvist, and Chinakhov all have a chance to play. Werenski was injured in Columbus’ last contest while blocking a shot, and after not practicing yesterday appears to be doubtful. Boqvist and Chinakhov, who were hurt last week, are questionable.

Elvis Merzlikens figures to start tonight for the Jackets. This season has been a rough one for him, as he waits for another team to take on his contract amidst a trade request. With a record of 12-15-8, a .900 SV% and a 3.33 GAA, he faces a tough task against a lethal Colorado team.

Projected Lines:

Johnny Gaudreau (13) – Boone Jenner (38) – Alex Nylander (92)

Alexandre Texier (42) – Cole Sillinger (4) – Kirill Marchenko (86)

Mikael Pyyhtia (82) – Dimitri Voronkov (10) – Trey Fix-Wolansky (64)

Mathieu Olivier (24) – Brendan Gaunce (16) – Carson Meyer (72)

Damon Severson (78) – Ivan Provorov (9)

Jake Bean (22) – David Jiricek (55)

Jake Christensen (23) – Erik Gudbranson (44)

Elvis Merzlikens (90)

Daniil Tarasov (40)