A team usually is at a disadvantage playing the second night of a back-to-back set, but the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche are on equal footing for their game in Denver on Saturday night.
Both teams played road games on Friday night, but the Oilers are the ones who experienced a pleasant flight to Colorado after their 4-3 overtime win at Utah. The Avalanche’s rally fell short in a 5-3 loss at Dallas.
Colorado lost more than the game in Dallas. Defenseman Josh Manson left in the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. Coach Jared Bednar did not have an update on Manson but expressed frustration with another of his players getting injured.
“It’s definitely frustrating … it just seems like we’re having a tough time getting through a game right now healthy,” Bednar said.
If Manson misses any time, he’ll join a long list of Avalanche players who have been on the injured list. A few have come back — Artturi Lehkonen missed the first 13 games after offseason shoulder surgery, and Jonathan Drouin returned after missing 16 games but is hurt again — while Ross Colton is out with a fractured foot.
Despite that, Colorado had won eight of its previous 11 games before falling to Dallas, in part because the top players have carried the team. Mikko Rantanen has 11 goals and eight assists in November, star defenseman Cale Makar is one pace to record 100 points for the season, and Nathan MacKinnon leads the team with 36 points despite failing to score a goal in the last nine games.
Edmonton also is on an upswing. The Oilers are 6-2-1 in their last nine games after opening a three-game road trip at Utah. They have climbed the standings and survived a few games without star center Connor McDavid, who is back in the lineup.
“We’re in a fine position,” Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl said. “It’s not exactly where we want to be, but we’re certainly within striking distance of where we want to be. It’s just a matter of stringing them together a little bit, finding a couple of win streaks that last a little longer than two games. That’s our plan, that’s what we’re looking to do.”
Draisaitl leads the team in goals (17) and points (32) while McDavid, who missed three games earlier this season with an ankle injury, paces the team with 18 assists.
Saturday night will be the first of three meetings between the teams that met in the Western Conference finals in 2022. The Avalanche swept that best-of-seven series on their way to winning the Stanley Cup, and both teams remain in their championship windows.
The Oilers nearly captured their sixth Stanley Cup last spring but lost Game 7 to the Florida Panthers after rallying from a 3-0 series deficit.
Edmonton hopes winger Zach Hyman returns during the three-game road trip. Hyman, who hasn’t played since Nov. 19 with an undisclosed injury, practiced with the team on Thursday and is on the trip.
–Field Level Media
