The Avs take part in the festivities against the Kraken.
As part of the NHL Frozen Frenzy day today, the Colorado Avalanche continues its three-game west coast road trip up in the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Kraken. The new rivalry dating back to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs gets another crack at one another at Climate Pledge Arena.
Both teams have opposing records to one another, which has to make the home team happy. Will they keep booing Cale Makar, and will tensions boil over as they have in the past?
NHL Frozen Frenzy is TONIGHT with the Avs in Seattle! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/IyRrj5w5Jy
— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) October 22, 2024
Colorado Avalanche
The Avs have finally won a couple of games and are on a streak! Last time out against the struggling San Jose Sharks, they were on top 4-1 on Sunday night.
Ross Colton has been the fuel for the fire of the offense this season. He has scored six goals in the first six games of the season, with a good number of them coming on the power play and on the first-line wing with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
Plus, the Avs might get some reinforcements tonight. Chris Wagner was taken off the Avalanche roster, which makes room for Devon Toews to come off the IR and perhaps make his return from injury tonight. Time will tell what the roster will look like when the puck drops, but Colorado will look to make it three straight wins.
Chris Wagner is no longer listed on the Avs roster.
As of this morning, Devon Toews was still on IR, but with Wagner going down to the AHL (it would appear), they are at 22 and can activate Toews at any time if he’s good to go.
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) October 22, 2024
Projected Lines
Ross Colton (20) – Nathan MacKinnon (29) – Mikko Rantanen (96)
Nikolai Kovalenko (51) – Casey Mittelstadt (37) – Logan O’Connor (25)
Miles Wood (28) – Parker Kelly (17) – Cal Ritchie (71)
Ivan Ivan (82) – Matt Stienburg (36) – Joel Kiviranta (94)
Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)
Sam Girard (49) – Josh Manson (42)
Calvin de Haan (44) – Sam Malinski (70)
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken is alive and kicking to start its season. After starting the season 1-2, they have won three straight games, most recently 2-1 over the Calgary Flames in overtime to end their four-game win streak to open the season.
This Kraken side is much different than the one they faced in the postseason a couple of years ago. New big signings such as Brandon Montour from the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers have joined, alongside Chandler Stephenson. They have lost defenseman Vince Dunn to injury, however, and he is on LTIR.
The #SeaKraken have recalled defenseman Cale Fleury from Coachella Valley.
Additionally, the team has placed defenseman Vince Dunn on long-term injured reserve (retroactive to 10/17). pic.twitter.com/JLVUBs4bSz
— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) October 22, 2024
Of course, old friends Andre Burakovsky and Philipp Grubauer are still at the heart of the lineup, alongside new captain Jordan Eberle. Will Seattle make it four straight wins and keep their recent edge over the Avalanche?
Projected Lines
Jared McCann (19) – Shane Wright (51) – Jordan Eberle (7)
Eeli Tolvanen (20) – Matty Beniers (10) – Andre Burakovsky (95)
Jaden Schwartz (17) – Chandler Stephenson (9) – Oliver Bjorkstrand (22)
Tye Kartye (52) – Yanni Gourde (37) – Brandon Tanev (13)
Josh Mahura (28) – Adam Larsson (6)
Jamie Oleksiak (24) – Brandon Montour (62)
Ryker Evans (39) – Will Borgen (3)
Goaltenders
With Justus Annunen starting the last game against the Sharks and playing well, don’t be surprised if he gets the nod again. At the same time, don’t be surprised if Jared Bednar goes back to Alexandar Georgiev or gives Kaapo Kahkonen his first action in an Avalanche jersey. Basically, we’ll see who is going when the teams come out for the warm-up.
For Seattle, expect it to be the aforementioned Grubauer kicking in the crease.