Morning Skate Report: Nieto Returns to Game Action

After missing 15 games with a lower-body injury, Matt Nieto will be back in the lineup for the Colorado Avalanche tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Nieto last played on Feb. 22 at the Chicago Blackhawks and the Avs have gone 8-5-2 while he recovered from his ailment. Prior to his injury, the forwarrd had notched five points in five outings (five assists), including two multi-point performances.

"It is never fun watching from the outside, especially when it's as long as it was," said Nieto. "I am really excited to be back. The boys have done a really good job, despite all the injuries that have been going on with the team. They have done a great job and I am excited to get back in and help."

In 58 contests this season, the left wing has recorded 22 points (four goals, 18 assists) and leads all Avalanche forwards with an average of 2:44 short-handed ice time per game.
"Certainly adding a guy like Matt Nieto, who has been in a middle-six role for us all year and penalty kill, that helps," said head coach Jared Bednar. "It is another guy that helps check the puck back, he plays the right way, can provide a little offense for us. We are excited to get him back, he looks good since he started to join the team the last few days and he is excited to get going after missing a bunch of games."
Nieto has recorded 129 points (54 goals, 74 assists) in 396 career NHL contests, all with the Avalanche and San Jose Sharks.
Being forced to watch the last four weeks of the season from afar has been hard for the 26-year-old, but it has given Nieto the opportunity to observe what Colorado has been doing well and what the areas for improvement are.
"I am ready to go, I have been chomping at the bit here," he said after today's morning skate. "I am excited to draw back in and help this team in the final six games.
"Everyone is playing the right way, everyone is playing hard. If mistakes are made guys are covering for each other and [Philipp Grubauer] has been playing great. It has just been really solid hockey and great team efforts, and that is why we are being successful."
The Avs are 4-0-1 in their last five games and 11-5-2 in their last 18 contests. Colorado is also 7-2-1 in its last 10 matchups at Pepsi Center. The opposition for the tonight has also been playing well as Vegas is 7-2-1 in its last 10 outings.
Tonight's contest will conclude the season series with the Golden Knights after Vegas won the first meeting 2-1 on Dec. 27 at T-Mobile Arena and the Avalanche won the second 3-0 on Feb. 18 in the Mile High City.
"They are a hard-working team and they have been playing good as of late," Nieto said of Vegas. "We have to match and beat their intensity and get a lot of shots on net and make it hard for their goalie and we will be alright."

BACK TO 12 AND SIX

Head coach Jared Bednar has dressed the untraditional lineup of 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the past five games but will go back to the standard 12 forwards and six defensemen against Vegas.
"It is not that big of a difference to be honest with you," Bednar said of the change. "We have some guys that don't see a lot of minutes and we have other guys that play a lot."
Rookie defenseman Ryan Graves will serve as the team's healthy scratch with Nieto going back into the lineup.
Goaltender Philipp Grubauer will make his sixth consecutive start in net for the Avalanche. He made 40 saves on Sunday in the Avalanche's 2-1 overtime loss at the Chicago Blackhawks and has a 4-0-1 record, 1.19 goals-against average and .966 save percentage in his last five outings.
VIEW: Avalanche vs. Golden Knights Projected Lineup

SIX GAMES REMAIN

This evening's contest opens a two-game homestand for Colorado as the team will also host the Arizona Coyotes on Friday. The Avalanche has six games left in regular season, with four of those taking place in the Mile High City.
Colorado currently holds the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 81 points, the same amount as Arizona but the Avs have played one fewer game.
As the regular season winds down, every outing has a playoff-like feel to it as each seems to hold more significance than the last.
"Games are really important right now," said defenseman Erik Johnson. "Every game we have played the last couple weeks has had a lot of meaning and this one is no different, I am sure it will be that way the rest of the way. It is fun, a fun time of the year. All the games are kind of playoff like for us so hopefully that will serve us well in the postseason."