After playing only the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights this month, tonight’s Avalanche vs Coyotes showdown will be a welcome sight for Colorado.
The Avalanche (9-6-1) and the Coyotes (9-7-3) meet for the first time this season tonight. The hosts will be eager to end February as well as they started it.
Consecutive Wins Build Coyotes’ Confidence
Arizona opened the month by winning three of their first four games, then followed that with four losses in five games. But they enter their back-to-back against the Avalanche on a positive note. The Coyotes posted consecutive wins this week over the Anaheim Ducks, snagging home wins on Monday and Wednesday. The Coyotes prevailed 4-3 on Monday, and they secured the sweep with a 4-3 shootout win on Wednesday.
Avalanche Need Response After Rough Week
On the other side, it has not been a good week for the Avalanche. In a four-game set between top Stanley Cup odds favorites, the Avalanche took two of the first three against the Golden Knights. But the Golden Knights took the finale on Monday, leaving Denver with a 3-0 shutout win. The Avalanche had not been shutout at home since a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 11, 2019. Then on Wednesday, they were blown away 6-2 by the Minnesota Wild. The Avalanche trailed just 3-2 with 17 minutes left, when Nazem Kadri scored to halve the deficit. But the Wild then ran rampant, scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes to convincingly secure the two points.
That defeat was another rare one for the Avalanche. It was their first 4+ goal defeat for the Avs since a 6-2 loss to Edmonton on November 14, 2019. Their previous such loss at home was February 2, 2019, a 5-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
Given the rarity of such performances for the Avalanche, a strong response should be expected in tonight’s Avalanche vs Coyotes matchup. But the Coyotes will not be pushovers. Two home wins with solid offensive outputs should see them approach tonight’s game with confidence.
