Morning Skate Report: Avs Aim to Score Early, Often

The starts in the Colorado Avalanche's past two games were far from what the team wanted or needed to be successful, but the scoreboard wasn't necessarily an indication for how the club played for head coach Jared Bednar.
Though Colorado went down 1-0 early in Friday's contest at the San Jose Sharks and Sunday at the Anaheim Ducks, Bednar liked the competitive spirit that was displayed, but his squad needed to find more ways to create opportunities.
"I know our try is there, our attention to detail is there. We've checked pretty well. I just haven't felt that we've got on the gas from an offensive standpoint early in games here recently," Bednar said of those two first periods. "We have to go seize the game and take it from the other team, and I just feel like we haven't been the aggressors early in the hockey game. That is something we have to be better at here tonight."
The Avalanche hosts the Detroit Red Wings this evening at Pepsi Center in the clubs second and final meeting of the regular season. It's the start of a stretch that has Colorado playing five of its next six games at home, with the only exception being Thursday's contest at the Dallas Stars.

Prior to the squad's two-game California trip, the Avs were winners of five of their previous six contests (5-0-1) and had a 6-2-4 record in their last 12 outings.
"I like the way our team has been trending. You look past the last two games and throw those away, I feel like our team is in a good spot," said Gabriel Landeskog. "We're playing a lot better and starting to get some results. Besides that last road trip, I like where our team is at and is something that we'll correct pretty fast back at home here."

A common theme during that strong stretch for Colorado was scoring first, and the Avalanche has been one of the more successful clubs in the league this season when it does that, sporting a 21-4-5 record when tallying the first goal.
"We've found results when we've been really consistent, it's been a 60-minute effort… On those nights when we just went 5-0-1, I felt right from the drop of the puck pretty good and getting better as the game went on," Bednar said. "Some nights you don't have your legs and you have to find ways to contribute and make an impact on the game."
The Avs enter Tuesday's contest three points out of a playoff spot with 68 on the season and a 28-26-12 record, but they still have games remaining against Dallas, the Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes, the clubs they're chasing in the standings.
"It was an unfortunate road trip, I think we would have liked to come out of it with some points, but we're still in a good spot," said Alex Kerfoot. "We have some games at home coming up here and we're still in the thick of things. Coming down the stretch, that is what you're looking for."

Detroit has a 23-33-9 record and 55 points this season and will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive campaign.
The Avs won 2-0 in the last meeting on Dec. 2 in Detroit and is expecting a tough battle against a club that is looking to end a losing streak.
"They are a dangerous team. There are no easy games in this league," Kerfoot said. "It's different playing against Eastern Conference teams that you don't play as often, but I think this is a game at home, coming off those two losses, that we really need to have this one tonight."

BACK TOGETHER

Head coach Jared Bednar said following morning skate that he'll reunite some of his old forward line combinations, which includes the trio of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
"I really liked them," Bednar said of the combo featuring three NHL All-Stars. "We bounced them back together over the last few games, I've really liked them. We've tried some different guys in there, and I feel that they are more dangerous as a threesome, especially now when you have the addition of (Derick) Brassard who changes some things."
Bednar also said that the unit of J.T. Compher, Carl Soderberg and Colin Wilson will also be back together after playing with one another in mid-January.
"We're going back to a line for me in the Wilson-Soderberg-Compher line that had real good success for us when we were having a downturn," Bednar said. "I think it started in the Toronto game they got hot and played real well together for a stretch of time."
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov is expected to get the start in net.

VIEW: Avalanche vs. Red Wings Projected Lineup

RIVALRY REIGNITED?

In the last matchup between the two teams, Detroit forward Tyler Bertuzzi drew a two-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct.
The altercation involved Colorado's Matt Calvert getting held by players on the Red Wings bench and then receiving punches by Bertuzzi when Calvert fought back to try and free himself.
It's been more than three months since that incident, and the Avalanche players don't think there will be any carryover to tonight's outing because of it.
"The last time we were in Detroit, there were some altercations that happened and some excitement that was going on beside just the hockey game. It was so long ago that I doubt it spills over to tonight," said Gabriel Landeskog. "With them being in the East and us being in the West nowadays, it's hard to say it's the same rivalry that it used to be. At the same time, we're excited for this one. We're excited to come home and we're excited to get the two points."

Bednar agreed with his captain and reiterated the focus is on getting the precious two points for the playoff race.
"I forgot about it, it was months ago," Bednar said. "For us, it's about getting on top of our game early. I want the game played with emotion and passion, and we have to embrace the challenge that's ahead. It's live in the moment and go all in for tonight's game. That's what we got to do."
Tonight's matchup is the 125th all-time meeting during regular season between the two franchises and the 80th since the Avalanche moved to Denver in 1995.