Colorado Avalanche Seek Redemption Against Washington Capitals: Injury Shadows Rematch

After experiencing a significant loss against the Washington Capitals, the Colorado Avalanche are gearing up for a rematch. Less than a week ago, the Avalanche suffered a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Capitals, despite the return of their three regular forwards to the lineup. Now, the Colorado team is keen to turn the tide as they continue their road trip, having secured a victory in Philadelphia.

The Avalanche’s roster appears relatively stable with the main concern being the fitness of Alexandar Georgiev, who missed the last two matches. Although he participated in practice recently, Head Coach Jared Bednar has not confirmed if he will be starting in tonight’s game. The priorities for Colorado include developing line chemistry and obtaining more effective scoring during even-strength plays.

Colorado’s projected lineup includes: Jonathan Drouin, Nathan MacKinnon, and Artturi Lehkonen forming one line; Val Nichushkin, Casey Mittelstadt, and Mikko Rantanen another; Joel Kiviranta, Ivan Ivan, and Logan O’Connor in the third line; and Miles Wood, Parker Kelly, and Nikolai Kovalenko as the fourth. The defensive pairing features Devon Toews and Cale Makar, Samuel Girard with Josh Manson, and Calvin de Haan partnered with Sam Malinski.

In contrast, the Washington Capitals face the absence of their captain, Alex Ovechkin, who is sidelined week-to-week due to a lower-body injury. This setback temporarily halts his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record. Filling in for Ovechkin, the Capitals have called up 2022 first-round draft pick Ivan Miroshnichenko for his season debut.

The Capitals’ projected lineup includes: Connor McMichael, Dylan Strome, and Aliaksei Protas on the first line; Andrew Mangiapane, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Tom Wilson in the second; Ivan Miroshnichenko with Lars Eller and Jakub Vrana on the third; and rounding out the forward lines are Brandon Duhaime, Nic Dowd, and Taylor Raddysh. On the defensive front, Jakob Chychrun pairs with John Carlson, Martin Fehervary with Matt Roy, and Rasmus Sandin partners with Trevor van Riemsdyk.

The Capitals will continue to rely on Logan Thompson in goal for the upcoming game. As both teams prepare for this crucial encounter, the Avalanche aim to leverage their recent win and capitalize on the Capitals’ changes, while Washington seeks to adapt and perform in Ovechkin’s absence.