3 Keys: Avalanche at Oilers, Game 4 of Western Conference Final & More Trending News

Avalanche (1C) at Oilers (2P)

8 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS

Colorado leads best-of-7 collection 3-0

The Colorado Avalanche can advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the primary time since 2001 with a win in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place on Monday.

“It’s definitely a mentality you have to have to try to close out a series,” Avalanche defenseman Jack Johnson mentioned. (*3*)

 

[RELATED: Complete Avalanche vs. Oilers series coverage]

 

Colorado swept the Nashville Predators within the first spherical, profitable 5-3 in Game 4. With an opportunity to eradicate the St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of the second spherical, the Avalanche misplaced 5-4 in time beyond regulation earlier than profitable 3-2 in Game 6.

The Oilers face elimination for the third time within the playoffs. They received Games 6 and seven within the first spherical in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings. 

Edmonton will play with out Evander Kane. The ahead was suspended one recreation by the NHL Department of Player Safety for boarding Avalanche ahead Nazem Kadri 1:06 into Game 3.

Kadri is out for the collection with an upper-body damage. Kane leads the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 13 objectives in 15 video games.

“We’ve done it all season; it’s the next-man-up mentality,” Oilers ahead Leon Draisaitl mentioned. “We have enough great players on our roster who can fill in and come in with energy and do a great job. I’m not too worried.”

Teams that lead a best-of-7 collection 3-0 are 198-4 in NHL historical past, 2-0 within the 2022 playoffs.

Here are 3 keys for Game 4:

1. Oilers want extra zone time

Edmonton has had issue accumulating offensive stress, one thing that wasn’t a difficulty earlier within the playoffs. The Oilers are averaging 4.00 objectives per recreation within the postseason however have scored two of their previous two video games, shedding Game 2 in Denver 4-0 and Game 3 in Edmonton 4-2.

“We’re not spending as much time in their zone, so you’re not getting the puck to the net as frequently as you want.” ahead Zach Hyman mentioned. “They’re breaking out really quickly right now. 

“[In Game 3] we have been capable of cease their breakout higher than the earlier two, get on the forecheck and be capable of dangle on to the puck slightly bit longer. For us to have success we will should play that heavy recreation and put some minutes on these expert defensemen.”

2. Avalanche want the puck to move

One of the advantages the Avalanche have had is they’ve been able to keep the puck and move quickly in all zones.

Hyman pointed out that it’s been one of the reasons the Oilers have had such trouble establishing a forecheck.

It’s what the Avalanche want to keep doing.

“We’ve acquired to play to our id, keep aggressive, assertive and carry on the assault as a lot as we probably can,” coach Jared Bednar said. “It’s half of who we’re and half of what makes us good.”

3. Rejigging chemistry

The Avalanche will have several options to take Kadri’s place with either Mikko Rantanen or J.T. Compher moving to second-line center. Compher played there during Game 3 after Kadri was injured.

Bednar would not tip his hand.

“Depending on what they do with their traces, we’ll have a pair of choices prepared,” Bednar said. “There are sure matchups I like greater than others in opposition to some of their expertise. We’ll look at that. We do have a bunch of completely different guys that might go in there and we might construction our lineup anyone of a quantity of methods. We may have to vary it as we undergo the sport as properly.”

Avalanche projected lineup

Gabriel Landeskog — Nathan MacKinnon — Valeri Nichushkin

Artturi Lehkonen — Mikko Rantanen — Andre Burakovsky

Alex Newhook — J.T. Compher — Nico Sturm

Andrew Cogliano — Darren Helm — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Cale Makar

Jack Johnson — Josh Manson

Bowen Byram — Erik Johnson

Pavel Francouz

Justus Annunen

Scratched: Ryan Murray, Kurtis MacDermid

Injured: Samuel Girard (sternum), Darcy Kuemper (upper body), Nazem Kadri (upper body), Nicolas Aube-Kubel (lower body)

Oilers projected lineup

Zach Hyman — Connor McDavid — Zack Kassian

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Leon Draisaitl — Josh Archibald

Warren Foegele — Ryan McLeod — Jesse Puljujarvi

Derek Ryan — Derick Brassard

Darnell Nurse — Cody Ceci

Duncan Keith — Evan Bouchard

Brett Kulak — Tyson Barrie

Kris Russell 

Mike Smith

Mikko Koskinen

Scratched: Devin Shore, Olivier Rodrigue

Injured: Kailer Yamamoto (higher physique)

Suspended: Evander Kane

Status report 

Kuemper took half within the morning skate however shouldn’t be anticipated to play. The goalie has been out since leaving at 7:19 of the second interval in Game 1. … Yamamoto shouldn’t be obtainable, Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft mentioned. The ahead was injured on successful from Landeskog within the first interval of Game 2 … The Oilers are anticipated to play with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. Brassard is anticipated to play with Yamamoto and Kane out.

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