Avalanche at Oilers
The Colorado Avalanche looked overmatched in back-to-back losses against a pair of Central Division rivals and now must try to halt a five-game slide against an opponent that has been a nemesis over the past two seasons. Colorado wraps up a brief two-game road trip Sunday with a visit to the Edmonton Oilers, who own a six-game point streak in the series (5-0-1).
The Avalanche had some tough luck on a winless road trip, losing three consecutive one-goal decisions, but three-goal setbacks to Nashville and Winnipeg has added a sense of urgency to Sunday's matchup. "I think leaders on this team got to get on this now," Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson said. "We gotta stop the bleeding and string some wins together here." The Oilers are trying to dig out of a rut of their own, following an 8-2-1 tear by dropping the final three contests of a four-game road trip. "You never want to lose three in a row," Edmonton captain Connor McDavid said after Thursday's 4-1 loss at Florida. "Obviously, it's frustrating but we have to regroup here."
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), Sportsnet1, Sportsnet West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (7-6-3): Offense has not been an issue this season for Colorado, but the team has shown an alarming inability to hold down the opposition during the skid, surrendering 22 goals in the past four games. "We are shooting ourselves in the foot," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said after Friday's 5-2 loss at Winnipeg. "A lot of good things I think again, but we got to now find a way to get results here, not just worry about the good things we are doing." Center Tyson Jost returned to the lineup Friday following a four-game absence and netted his second goal of the year.
ABOUT THE OILERS (8-7-1): With Edmonton scoring only five goals during its three-game slide, the team opted to send forwards Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League. Puljujarvi, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 draft, has one goal in 11 games and failed to register a shot on net in his last two appearances. "We want a confident set of players and if he can't gain that confidence or that traction here, maybe the best answer is somewhere else," Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. "Those decisions will be made as we go forward.”
OVERTIME
1. Avalanche F Mikko Rantanen, the league's leader in points entering the weekend, has been blanked in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
2. McDavid has lit up Colorado for seven goals and 15 points in eight games.
3. Avalanche D Tyson Barrie needs one assist to become the third defensemen in franchise history with 200.
OVERTIME: Oilers 5, Avalanche 4