Morning Skate Report: Avs Aim to Take Advantage of Intermittent Home Game

A quirk in the Colorado Avalanche's schedule sees the team returning home from the east coast for one game before heading back in that direction to begin a four-game road trip next week.
In the middle of those two trips is tonight's contest against the Calgary Flames, the Avs' lone outing at Pepsi Center during a two-week stretch.
"We play a lot of road games until November," said Colorado forward Carl Soderberg. "We have to take care of our home games and then we'll take care of the road after that. For sure, we have to win these games."

Similar to the Avalanche, the Flames are expected to compete for a playoff spot this season but are 2-2-0 in the early going after falling 5-3 to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. Much like the Avs were in Buffalo, their first contest after losing Tuesday in Columbus, head coach Jared Bednar is expecting a focused Calgary team this evening.
"Their top guys are real good, they've been on the board every night," Bednar said after the Avalanche's Saturday morning skate. "Their power play has been dangerous. It's running at about 24 percent, so we got to stay out of the box. I also think the offense that helps get created from their D joining play and rushes in the offensive zone, they've got some shooters there."

Colorado is in the midst of a stretch where it will play six-of-seven, nine-of-12 and 11-of-15 away from Pepsi Center after beginning the year with two contests on home ice. Overall, 19 of the team's first 30 contests will come in road barns.
The upcoming trip will be tied for the Avalanche's second longest of the season as the club plays at the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers beginning on Tuesday.
After tonight, the Avalanche's next home game won't be until Oct. 24 when the Tampa Bay Lightning visits, but the players don't seem to mind the road-heavy schedule to start the season.
"We enjoy being on the plane together, chatting it up and having fun," said forward Tyson Jost. "Honestly being on the road is quite enjoyable. You're just around the guys more, you have a little bit more team time."

The Avs are 3-1-0 on the year and now 20-4-1 in their last 25 regular season contests at Pepsi Center after winning its first two of 2018-19. The team tied a franchise record with 28 home wins last season.
"We've been good on home ice the last few years here, and we want to keep it rolling here and make it a hard place play," Jost said. "It's obviously a little weird with the schedule and how we're going back to the east coast, we play one (home) game."
Colorado defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on opening night on Oct. 4 and the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 last Saturday. Coming off a 6-1 victory in Buffalo, the club has produced 17 goals in its first four games and has tallied at least once in 10 of the 12 periods.
The Avalanche's 4.25 goals per game average is tied for fifth in the league.
"We're just sticking to our systems, playing the right way, and good things are coming from that," said Jost. "One thing that is noticeable too is that we're playing good D-zone and that is leading to offense too. That is something that we got to keep up."
Colorado looks to take advantage of this offensive wave as long as it can before teams start bearing down more defensively.
"I always feel you are scoring goals early in the season that you might not get later on when things tighten up," Bednar said. "Doesn't surprise me that [across the league goals are] up. I think things will tighten down here once coaches get more practice time and do more video."

VIEW: Avalanche Projected Lineup vs. Flames

ANDRIGHETTO PROGRESSING

Sven Andrighetto participated in his first team skate on Saturday since hurting his leg during the preseason and could join the Avalanche on its upcoming road trip. The forward took part in morning skate in a red, non-contact jersey.
"He won't make the trip right away with us on Monday because he has some days that he can skate, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and then we'll look at maybe getting him out on the road trip and joining the team," Bednar said.
Andrighetto was skating on his own while the team was in Columbus and Buffalo this past week, and he seems to be on schedule to return after getting hurt on Sept. 26 against the Dallas Stars. His recovery timetable was two-to-four weeks and last Wednesday marked the two-week point.

COLORADO GIRLS HOCKEY NIGHT

The Avalanche will host the inaugural Colorado Girls Hockey Night at Pepsi Center today, with events planned before and during the team's game against the Flames.
Organized in partnership with the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to create Team Colorado (Team CO), the evening aims to recognize the rapidly growing sport of women's hockey in the state.
Prior to the Avs-Flames contest, CAHA's Team CO Women's 19U will face the University of Colorado women's hockey team at 3:30 p.m. in a free game for the general public at Pepsi Center. A Hockey 101 clinic will be held afterward in the arena bowl starting at 6 p.m.
Altitude TV rinkside reporter Lauren Gardner will be the public address announcer for the game, and rest of the in-game entertainment will have a focus around girls hockey.