Game 2 Projected Lineup: Avalanche vs. Coyotes

The Colorado Avalanche is not expected to make any changes to its lineup for this afternoon's Game 2 matchup against the Arizona Coyotes at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

Today's outing is the first half of a back-to-back set for the clubs as Game 3 will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT. It is the first time this postseason that the Avs are playing on consecutive days and the first time they are doing so in the playoffs since 2008 (Games 3-4 versus the Minnesota Wild).

The Avalanche played 12 back-to-back sets during the regular season, finishing 9-3-0 in the first contest and 6-5-1 in the second. Colorado won both games in half (six) of its back-to-backs, matching a franchise record for the most sweeps in these sets (1985-86 and 2000-01).

Philipp Grubauer is expected to start in net for the Avs after stopping all 14 shots he faced in Colorado's 3-0 win in Game 1 on Wednesday. The Avalanche's 14 shots against set a new franchise playoff record, surpassing the previous mark of 15 that the club had accomplished three times prior.

Colorado did not hold a morning skate today, so the club's exact alignment won't be known until closer to game time.

Below is the Avalanche's projected lineup based on the forward combinations and defensive pairings from Game 1. They are subject to change.

Forwards

90 Vladislav Namestnikov - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 96 Mikko Rantanen
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 91 Nazem Kadri - 13 Valeri Nichushkin
95 Andre Burakovsky - 37 J.T. Compher - 72 Joonas Donskoi
83 Matt Nieto - 41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - 11 Matt Calvert

Defensemen

27 Ryan Graves - 8 Cale Makar
49 Samuel Girard - 6 Erik Johnson
16 Nikita Zadorov - 28 Ian Cole

Goaltenders

31 Philipp Grubauer
39 Pavel Francouz

The Coyotes are not expected to make any changes to their forward combinations and defensive pairings for Game 2.

Arizona head coach Rick Tocchet did say on Thursday that there is a possibility that goaltender Antti Raanta could backup Darcy Kuemper in the outing. Raanta has not been available since leaving the bench after the first period against the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

Tocchet also added that forward Nick Schmaltz practiced on Thursday, but the forward's status is "up in the air again" as he continues to be unfit to play.

Kuemper will make his sixth start in goal for the Coyotes this postseason after making 37 saves on Wednesday.

Below is Arizona's projected lineup, based on the team's alignment at the start of Game 1.

Forwards

91 Taylor Hall - 18 Christian Dvorak - 81 Phil Kessel
67 Lawson Crouse - 21 Derek Stepan - 9 Clayton Keller
83 Conor Garland - 34 Carl Soderberg - 36 Christian Fischer
40 Michael Grabner - 15 Brad Richardson - 13 Vinnie Hinostroza

Defensemen

23 Oliver Ekman-Larsson - 55 Jason Demers
33 Alex Goligoski - 4 Niklas Hjalmarsson
6 Jakob Chychrun - 82 Jordan Oesterle

Goaltenders

35 Darcy Kuemper
31 Adin Hill OR 32 Antti Ranta