Senators at Avalanche preview

The center, who has 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 51 games this season, is out indefinitely because of a lower-body injury sustained in the second period of a 3-2 win at the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, when he fell awkwardly during a face-off. Forward J.T. Compher will replace Kadri on the second line, playing between Valeri Nichushkin and right wing Andre Burakovsky. 

The Avalanche, 7-1-0 in their past eight games, are in second place in the Central Division, three points behind the St. Louis Blues.

The Senators, trying to end a five-game winless streak (0-3-2), are 2-8-7 in their past 16 games. Ottawa is 15th in the Eastern Conference.

Players to watch

Senators forward Connor Brown has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past 10 games.

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar has five points (one goal, four assists) in a four-game point streak.

They said it

"We're going to have to be more intense. We're going to have to get after their [defensemen] a lot more. We know they're really good, but you're going to have to hit them and stop them breaking the puck out. They are the best breakout team in the League for a reason." -- Senators coach D.J. Smith on facing Colorado

"We're happy with the way we're playing right now, and now we've got to convert this to home ice and make sure we get jumping here at Pepsi Center." -- Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog

Senators projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Connor Brown

Vladislav Namestnikov -- Chris Tierney -- Drake Batherson

Nick Paul -- Artem Anisimov -- Anthony Duclair

Tyler Ennis -- Colin White -- Mikkel Boedker

Thomas Chabot -- Dylan DeMelo

Ron Hainsey -- Cody Goloubef

Mike Reilly -- Nikita Zaitsev

Marcus Hogberg

Craig Anderson

Scratched: Mark Borowiecki, Filip Chlapik, Andreas Englund

Injured: Anders Nilsson (concussion)

Avalanche projected lineup

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen

Valeri Nichushkin -- J.T. Compher -- Andre Burakovsky

Matt Calvert -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Joonas Donskoi

Matt Nieto -- Tyson Jost -- Vladislav Kamenev

Ryan Graves -- Cale Makar

Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson

Nikita Zadorov -- Ian Cole

Philipp Grubauer

Pavel Francouz

Scratched: Calle Rosen

Injured: Nazem Kadri (lower body), Colin Wilson (lower body)

Status report

Borowiecki, a defenseman, will miss his second game to be with his wife, Tara, after the birth of their first child on Sunday. … The Senators assigned defenseman Christian Wolanin to Belleville of the American Hockey League.

Stat pack

Boedker will play in his 700th NHL game. … Tkachuk has a goal and an assist in his past two games. … MacKinnon has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 13 games against Ottawa. … This is Colorado's first home game since a 6-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 20.