The Colorado Avalanche welcome the Arizona Coyotes in town for the first time this season, in a divisional rivalry game with the Yotes’ move to Central this season. The transition hasn’t been pleasant for them, and the Avs will be looking to make things worse tonight.
Colorado avalanche
The Avs are coming off their first loss in nearly a month, a controversial 5-4 OT loss to the Nashville Predators. The fan base was very irritated by the bad too many men on the ice which ultimately led to the loss.
That being said, players haven’t taken it lightly either. In training this week, several players came out frustrated and felt they had been called up incorrectly. The Avs will play angry for the next two days.
All Star captain Nathan MacKinnon is a huge threat when he and his team play angry. He will definitely try to get the Avs back in the win column playing angry and at the top of his game.
Attackers
Valeri Nichushkin (13) – Nathan MacKinnon (29) – Mikko Rantanen (96)
André Burakovsky (95) – Nazem Kadri (91) – Logan O’Connor (25)
Nicolas Aube-Kubel (16) – Alex Newhook (18) – JT Compher (37)
Kurtis MacDermid (56) – Tyson Jost (17) – Mikhail Maltsev (11)
Defenders
Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)
Jack Johnson (3) – Sam Girard (49)
Ryan Murray (28) – Erik Johnson (6)
Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes are dead last in the Central Division, recording just eight wins three months into the season. One of those eight wins came in an incredible, heartbreaking way Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 at home on Wednesday.
There aren’t many good stories that come out of the desert. With arena issues, no real number one goaltender to replace Darcy Kuemper, and injuries such as former Av Conor Timmins out for the year after a short playing time this season.
Veteran Phil Kessel is holding on with the Coyotes and looking to lead to another upset win against a high-scoring team tonight on the road before heading home tomorrow night.
Attackers
Lawson Crouse (67) – Johan Larsson (22) – Phil Kessel (81)
Andrew Ladd (16) – Travis Boyd (72) – Clayton Keller (9)
Antoine Roussel (26) – Riley Nash (20) – Christian Fischer (36)
Ryan Dzingel (10) – Alex Galchenyuk (17) – Nick Schmaltz (8)
Defenders
Shayne Gositsbehere (14) – Dysin Mayo (61)
Janis Moser (62) – Ilya Lyubushkin (46)
Vladislav Kolyachonok (92) – Victor Soderstrom (77)
Goalkeepers
Pavel Francouz gets the start in the first of this consecutive series against the Coyotes, giving Kuemper the opportunity to play when he returns to Arizona. The Coyotes appoint Ivan Prosvetov to relieve Karel Vejmelka who will go tomorrow night when these two meet.