Avalanche Schedule 2011: Avs Host Edmonton Oilers on Saturday Night

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By Steve von Horn - Newsdesk contributor

After a 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night, the Colorado Avalanche (9-12-1) face off against the Edmonton Oilers (11-8-2) on Saturday afternoon in a Northwest Division matchup.

Nov 25, 2011 - It wasn't a very good showing at home for the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-0 loss on Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks, but the Avs get a few days to rest up before returning to the Pepsi Center to host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon. Truth be told, the Avs haven't been very good at home all season long, with a disappointing 3-8-0 record at the Pepsi Center this season, but perhaps they can start to turn that around against an Oilers team that hasn't been all that great on the road (4-6-1).

The staff over at SB Nation's Colorado Avalanche blog, Mile High Hockey, put each team into the context of the broader NHL picture heading into this matchup:

Edmonton Oilers (21 games played, 11-8-2, 24 points)

Overall Rankings:

Goals For: 2.7 (17th)

Goals Against: 2.3 (10th)

Power Play %: 22.1 (5th)

Penalty Kill %: 86.5 (7th)

This Week: The Oilers have a nice little division double dip roadie Friday at Minnesota and Saturday at Colorado to finish up a 4-game road swing (1-1-0 so far) before returning home for a rematch of last week's beatdown of Nashville Monday night and another Wild throwdown between two overachieving teams Wednesday. Yay.

Colorado Avalanche (22 games played, 9-12-1, 19 points)

Overall Rankings:

Goals For: 2.4 (24th)

Goals Against: 3.1 (23rd)

Power Play %: 24.3 (2nd)

Penalty Kill %: 78.4 (25th)

This Week: Sigh. I don't even care who we play anymore just so long as we bring home a W or four. Edmonton Saturday, Dallas Monday, New Jersey Wednesday (okay, I do care. Larssonnnnnn!). Please win. Please.

For updates on the Avalanche, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more in-depth coverage of the team, head over to Mile High Hockey. For news and notes from around the league, visitSB Nation's NHL news hub.