The Colorado Avalanche have stumbled out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break, but they may get a key player back when they host the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
Winger Valeri Nichushkin practiced with the team Tuesday and could return, though coach Jared Bednar would not fully commit to writing his number on one of Colorado’s lines.
“He is a possibility for (Wednesday),” Bednar said after practice. “He’s one of the top players in the league, so getting him back — when we get him back — will be helpful.”
Nichushkin has been a force when he plays, but he hasn’t been available much this season. He was out until mid-November, missing his team’s first 17 games while serving a suspension. He returned to pile up 11 goals and six assists in 21 games but has not played since Dec. 31 due to a lower-body injury.
Colorado has missed his offense, especially in the two games played since the break. The Avalanche scored just one goal in each loss at Nashville and St. Louis, further hampering their efforts to climb above the wild-card fray in the Western Conference.
Even though he has missed 38 games this season, Nichushkin is tied for fifth among players currently on the team with his 11 goals. Colorado is paced by reigning Most Valuable Player Nathan MacKinnon with 87 points (21 goals and a league-best 66 assists).
Cale Makar (22 goals, 42 assists) leads all NHL defensemen in goals and points, Martin Necas also owns 64 points (20 goals, 44 assists) and Artturi Lehkonen’s 34 points (23 goals, 11 assists) is fourth in scoring for Colorado.
Wednesday will be the first home game for the Avalanche since Feb. 2 and kicks off a six-game, 12-day homestand.
They face a New Jersey team coming off a 5-0 win at Nashville, which continues the Devils’ trend of up-and-down play. New Jersey has not won or lost consecutive games since the end of January and stand third in the Metropolitan Division.
New Jersey is led by Jack Hughes (26 goals, 42 assists) and Jesper Bratt (17 goals, 51 assists). Hughes competed in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament for the United States while Bratt played for Sweden.
Nico Hischier (24 goals, 22 assists) is the only other Devils player who has reached 20 goals this season.
Hughes didn’t participate in Tuesday’s practice after playing in all four games for the United States in the tournament. With Wednesday being the only game in a span of seven days, it gave him a chance to rest.
Goaltender Nico Daws would probably prefer playing more after recording his first NHL shutout in Sunday’s win over the Predators. The 24-year-old Daws has been impressive in his NHL appearances this season — posting a 2-0-0 record with an 0.84 goals-against average and a .986 save percentage.
In 49 total games over the past three seasons, he sits 21-22-1 with a 3.00 GAA and .897 save percentage.
“He was unreal,” Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton said of Daws’ play Sunday. “We gave up some chances, some looks, and they were playing hard. We just capitalized on some chances.”
–Field Level Media
