The Colorado Avalanche picked the worst possible time for a three game losing streak. After playing well since the All-Star Break, the Avalanche were firmly in the playoff picture with the chance to bury two of their closes competitors. Instead, disappointing losses at Phoenix and San Jose have buried Colorado. They now face the difficult challenge of winning their last four games of the season in regulation just to have a shot at the postseason.
Colorado faces a familiar foe, as they play the Northwest Division leading Vancouver Canucks for the sixth and final time. The Avalanche have yet to beat Vancouver this season (0-3-2 record), and blew a 2-0 lead in an overtime loss at Pepsi Center just last Saturday night.
As has been the story for much of the season, the Avalanche have suffered from a lack of consistent offense. Paul Stastny, Gabriel Landeskog, and Jamie McGinn have been the only real scoring threats over the past two weeks. Those three players have scored 13 of the 21 total goals that Colorado has scored in their past 10 games. Even if Colorado fails to make the postseason this year, an elite scorer has to be at the top of their wishlist for free agency.
Semyon Varlamov will start in net for Colorado. He will face Canucks backup goalie Cory Schneider.
Puck drops at 8:00 p.m. MDT.
For more coverage, visit our Avalanche blog Mile High Hockey and our Canucks blog Nucks Misconduct.