Avs Get Ready for Canadian Road Swing

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--Before the Colorado Avalanche headed north for its longest road trip of the campaign, a five-game journey through Canada, the team practiced at Family Sports Center on Monday.
The voyage is 10 days long and features stops in four different provinces, as the Avs will visit Manitoba (Winnipeg), Alberta (Calgary), Quebec (Montreal) and Ontario (Toronto, Ottawa). The trip starts with a back-to-back set against two of the best teams in the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames, on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

The Flames lead the West with 56 points and a 26-13-4 record, while Winnipeg leads the Central Division with a 26-13-2 mark and 54 points.
"We have been good on the road, there is lots to like about our road game and some of the things that we have done on the road this year," said Bednar. "We have been a confident group, maybe takes a little bit of the pressure off. At the same time, these are top teams for a reason and we know we are going to have to be our best, but sometimes our team elevates when we get in those situations."
The Avs are 11-8-3 away from Pepsi Center this season and have the third-best road power play in the league, finding success 30.3 percent of the time.
Colorado is coming off a commanding 6-1 win over the New York Rangers on Friday that wrapped up a four-game homestand.
"We are going into a couple buildings here on this road trip right away, especially Winnipeg and Calgary, that we have not played well in since I have been here and haven't got any results," said head coach Jared Bednar. "Playing some of the top teams in the league on this road trip, so it is going to take a real strong team effort, mental focus, a stick-to-itiveness from our group.
"We will have to be a resilient group on this road trip but again, real good game and real good place to sort of kick off and hopefully we will build some confidence by beating some good teams here."
Colorado started the year with a road-heavy schedule and had a stretch that saw the squad playing 19-of-28 away from the Mile High City, but the Avs have since been home for eight of their last 10 outings.
"It is an important road trip for us against some really good teams, so it will be a fun challenge," said Gabriel Landeskog. "Usually this time of year, after the holidays, everybody has gotten their fill of family and friends and now we can kind of go on the road and start spending some time together as a team again."

INJURY UPDATES

Injured forward Colin Wilson (upper body) participated in Colorado's practice as a full-contact participant for the first time and could return to game action on the trip. He has 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 35 outings this season and last played on Dec. 21 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
"He is coming on the trip, I think we are going to give him another practice or two," Bednar said of Wilson. "[Mark Barberio], same thing. Those guys will both be on the trip and will hopefully be options for us as the trip moves along."
Barberio (upper body) spent most of practice in a red, non-contact jersey but switched into a regular sweater at the end of the session. The defenseman has one goal in eight contests this season and last played on Nov. 28 against the Pittsurgh Penguins.
Defensemen Conor Timmins (concussion) and Nikita Zadorov (lower body) were also on the ice in red sweaters. Timmins skated with the group, while Zadorov skated on his own before the team practice.