Avalanche Game 34 at San Jose Sharks, Georgiev vs Blackwood! Lines, notes and how to see

On By Littum

The Colorado Avalanche (18-15-0) begin a back-to-back in California on Thursday with their second meeting of the season against the San Jose Sharks (11-18-5). Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 PM MT.

READ MORE: Urgent needs: Avalanche’s Bottom Six needs help

The Avalanche are coming off an uninspiring performance in a 3-1 loss in Vancouver. Granted, the team has been dealing with an illness making its way through the locker room. Head coach Jared Bednar said early Thursday morning on Altitude Sports Radio that the team is almost done.

The Canucks struggled on home ice before the Avs came in, allowing three goals before finding the back of the net with just 45 seconds left. Thatcher Demko nearly shut out the Avs, while Mackenzie Blackwood, in his second start since being acquired, again allowed just two goals, this time in a losing effort.

Blackwood is back on the grid again and ready to face his former team. He will face Alexander Georgiev.

The two goalies were traded for each other in a seven-piece trade just 10 days ago. Georgiev struggled mightily with the Avalanche to start the season and, along with Nikolai Kovalenko and two draft picks, was sent to San Jose for Blackwood, Givani Smith and a draft pick.

Blackwood and Georgiev are both 1-1-0 with their new clubs, though Blackwood has a .937 save percentage while Georgiev is .868.

Both goalkeepers are likely motivated to beat their former teams. But they were both treated under completely different circumstances.

For Blackwood, an eventual trade seemed inevitable. He was only brought to San Jose to revive his career – which he successfully did. The pending unrestricted free agent was destined to be traded to a playoff team because the Sharks, a rebuilding team, are not expected to make the postseason this year.

San Jose also has another veteran goaltender in Vitek Vanecek as well as young up-and-coming star netminder Yaroslav Askarov waiting in the wings. Askarov will support Georgiev as Vanecek recently suffered an injury.

Georgiev’s trade struck him a little differently. He was ultimately a goalie that a team hoping to contend for a Stanley Cup decided to relieve because they lost confidence in him. Georgiev did not want to leave Colorado and still hoped to sign a new deal with the club sometime between now and next season.

But that’s all in the past. The highly motivated 28-year-old is very likely to give his best performance of the season. He probably has this game circled on his calendar a heck of a lot more than Blackwood does.

Kovalenko has also had a breakout since the trade. The 25-year-old rookie has five assists in four games while playing a bigger role with San Jose. Although Kovalenko’s ice time is still about the same as it was in Denver.

San Jose enters the game on a two-game losing streak and is in last place in the Pacific Division. Its -28 goal difference is the worst in the league.

Season series

  • Oct. 20 at San Jose Sharks (W, 4-1)
  • Dec. 19 at San Jose Sharks
  • March 6 against the San Jose Sharks

Avalanche damage

  • Josh Manson (upper body, could return this week)
  • Oliver Kylington (upper body, week-to-week)
  • Miles Wood (upper body, LTIR)
  • Jonathan Drouin (upper body, week-to-week)
  • Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no schedule)

READ MORE: Power play falls apart in Avalanche latest loss

Projected avalanche lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Ross Colton – Casey Mittelstadt – Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta – Parker Kelly – Logan O’Connor
Givani Smith – Ivan Ivan – Chris Wagner

Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Samuel Girard – Sam Malinski
Keaton Middleton – Calvin de Haan

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Projected starters (subject to change)

  • Confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
  • Confirmed: Alexander Georgiev (SJS)

Upcoming milestones

  • Mikko Rantanen – needs 3 PPG for 100
  • Nathan MacKinnon – needs 4 PPG for 100
  • Cale Makar – needs 5 goals for 100
  • Logan O’Connor – needs 4 games for 300
  • Chris Wagner – needs 5 games for 400
  • Devon Toews – needs 6 assists for 200

That’s how you see

  • TV: Altitude sports
  • Radio: 92.5 FM