Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Anaheim Ducks (8:00 p.m. MT)

It’s the last Colorado Avalanche gameday of the regular season!

After taking on the Los Angeles Kings yesterday, the Colorado Avalanche wrap up their regular season against the Anaheim Ducks tonight. This will be the third and final regular season match-up between these two teams, with Colorado having won both previous games.

Colorado Avalanche

As previously mentioned, Colorado’s regular season wraps up tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, before waiting for the playoffs to start. Like yesterday’s game against the Kings, since Colorado’s playoff positioning and round-one matchup is set, there’s nothing to play for at this point.

Similarly to yesterday, we’re likely to see a lot of depth players in the lineup, as some of the Avs’ top players get some much earned rest before the playoffs start. Right now, as long as no one gets injured and they put some effort into the game, that’s all I really ask for.

Projected Lineup

Artturi Lehkonen – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta – Charlie Coyle – Martin Necas
Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor
Jere Innala – Chris Wagner – Jimmy Vesey

Samuel Girard – Erik Johnson
Keaton Middleton – Sam Malinski
Wyatt Aamodt – Jack Ahcan

Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim still has three games left in the regular season, inluding today’s game, and will look to finish strong against the Avs, Wild, and Jets. There’s no doubt that this Ducks team is building something really fun, and they already have a ton of really fun, young talent with players like Leo Carlsson in their lineup. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention at this point, this Ducks team is plenty talented and nothing to overlook.

Projected Lineup

Cutter Gauthier – Leo Carlsson – Alex Killorn
Trevor Zegras – Ryan Strome – Frank Vatrano
Nikita Nesterenko – Mason McTavish – Troy Terry
Jansen Harkins – Isac Lundestrom – Sam Colangelo

Jackson Lacombe – Radko Gudas
Jacob Trouba – Ian Moore
Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson

Goaltenders

For the Avs, Scott Wedgewood will likely get the start here tonight on the back-to-back, after Mackenzie Blackwood got the start yesterday. For Anaheim, Lukas Dostal will likely get the start here tonight for the Ducks. Dostal has been really solid for the Ducks all year, and Wedgewood will need to be sharp here tonight across the crease from him.