A team is usually at a disadvantage when playing the second game of a back-to-back, but the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche will be on equal ground for their game in Denver on Saturday night.
Both teams played away games on Friday, but the Oilers had a positive trip to Colorado after their 4-3 overtime win against Utah. The Avalanche, on the other hand, came up short in a 5-3 loss to Dallas.
Colorado didn’t just lose the game in Dallas—they also lost defenseman Josh Manson. He left in the second period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. Coach Jared Bednar didn’t provide an update on Manson but expressed his frustration with the constant injuries to his players.
“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 is out for any time, he’ll join the list of injured Avalanche players. Some players have returned from injuries, such as Artturi Lehkonen, who missed the first 13 games after shoulder surgery, and Jonathan Drouin, who returned after missing 16 games but is hurt again. Ross Colton is also out with a fractured foot.
Even with these injuries, Colorado had won eight of their last 11 games before losing to Dallas. The team’s top players have been carrying the load. Mikko Rantanen has 11 goals and eight assists in November, star defenseman Cale Makar is on track to record 100 points this season, and Nathan MacKinnon leads the team with 36 points despite not scoring a goal in his last nine games.
Edmonton is also doing well. The Oilers are 6-2-1 in their last nine games after starting a three-game road trip in Utah. They have moved up the standings and managed to win a few games even without their star center, Connor McDavid, who is now back in the lineup.
“We’re in a fine position,” said Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton. “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 due to an ankle injury, leads the team with 18 assists.
Saturday night’s game will be the first of three meetings this season between the teams that faced off in the 2022 Western Conference finals. The Avalanche swept the Oilers in that series on their way to winning the Stanley Cup, and both teams are still aiming for a championship this season.
The Oilers almost won their sixth Stanley Cup last spring but lost in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers after making a comeback from a 3-0 series deficit.
Edmonton is hoping that winger Zach Hyman will return during the three-game road trip. Hyman, who has been out since November 19 with an undisclosed injury, practiced with the team on Thursday and is traveling with them on the trip.
