Yahoo Sports Pregame: Colorado Returns Home After Long Road Trip
After a significant loss to end their road trip on the East coast, the Avalanche return home for one game before American Thanksgiving. They won all three of their games last week against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Washington Capitals, and the Florida Panthers. They dropped their final game of the trip to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a resounding 8-2 loss.
Updates from Jared Bednar
Head coach of the Avalanche, Jared Bednar, spoke with the media following the team skate this morning. Some familiar faces were missing at morning skate in forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Miles Wood, but Bednar confirmed that this was a maintenance day for both of them and they will be good to go tonight.
Bednar also began his weekly appearance on Altitude Sports Radio this morning with some not-so-good news. Jonathan Drouin is considered week-to-week. He mentioned to the media today that the injury is related to his previous stint of missed time.
Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Chase Bradley will also make his NHL debut tonight. He got the call last night that he'd be called up from the Colorado Eagles and immediately called his family, who will be in town to see his debut. After morning skate, he talked with the media and mentioned that while it wasn't expected, he's still excited for tonight.
Coach Bednar also seemed excited to see what Bradley can contribute to the team tonight:
"He's been really good [with the Eagles] for seven games or so, maybe more. Had a rough camp with us, did not look comfortable at any time during training camp and then he goes down [to the AHL], started a little slow, but his game's really come around. Obviously, we liked what we saw out of him in college and we're expecting big things, and all of a sudden he's starting to produce. He's got a little bit of [Stienburg] in him where he's got that physicality, he's strong on the boards, he's got a great shot, can play a straight-line game, a big-body game. So we just want to see him. He's playing really well now, it's a perfect time to call him up and get a look at him, and I'd like to see him continue what he's been doing down there."
A Look Into Tonight's Matchup
The Vegas Golden Knights currently hold 5th place in the league standings. The Avalanche are just barely in the top half of the standings at 15th. Tonight's matchup will see three of the top five points leaders in the NHL: Nathan MacKinnon (tied 1st), Jack Eichel (tied 3rd), and Mikko Rantanen (5th).
Nathan MacKinnon hasn't scored a goal since November 9th against the Carolina Hurricanes, though he's produced 2 assists in his last five games.
Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Vegas Golden Knights Head Coach Bruce Cassidy is aware that this talent-heavy matchup is at large, and had a lot to say regarding how the Golden Knights have to shift their game accordingly:
"We have to have discipline because their power play is deadly. We have to reload and reload in the right direction coming back into our end because [Nathan MacKinnon] is really good at either: if he doesn't drive wide and beat you, he can turn up and lose you. So where are the threats coming from? ... Sometimes you've got to pick your poison when you're playing them, and where do you want the shot to come from where the goalie has the best chance to save it? We've talked about that internally, so I'm sure there will be opportunities, but hopefully it's the ones we want to give up and not the ones they want to get."
Goaltending is also going to be a huge viewing point of tonight's game for the Avalanche. Colorado's last game against the Lightning saw both goalies take to the crease, and neither had what it took to hold off Tampa Bay. Tonight we will likely see Georgiev start in net for the Avalanche. He currently holds a save percentage of .871% and a goals against average of 3.49.
Related: Georgiev earns shutout in Avalanche 3-0 win over Golden Knights
Where to Catch the Game
Tonight's game is a national broadcast on TNT and Max, but local Coloradans can also catch the game on Altitude+. Tonight's game will also be available to local listeners in Colorado on Altitude Sports Radio. Puck drop is at 8:22 pm MT.
