Colorado Avalanche vs. Winnipeg Jets: Gametime

The Colorado Avalanche travel to Winnipeg to take on the Jets in a contest that’s as must-win as it gets in the early going.

A losing streak is something we weren’t prepared for with this Colorado Avalanche team but here we are.  The Avs have dropped four-in-a-row and have won only once in their past five.  The combination of top-heavy scoring and defense that relies too heavily on goaltending have come crashing down on the young Avs heads.

With plenty to talk about over at Dove Valley and a Nuggets surge to open their season, the Avalanche for good or bad has flown largely under the radar.  To illustrate, my recap of the loss to the Nashville Predators claims it to be the third straight loss for Colorado when it is, in fact, the fourth.  Nobody noticed, not Twitter, not Facebook, not even the comments on the article.

Another post suggesting Colin Kaepernick as a possibility for the Broncos generated 23 comments on the post and a buzz on social media.  Whether the lack of scrutiny matters to the Avalanche locker room is hard to pin down.

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• Broncos Position Battles to Watch as Preseason Approaches
• Denver Nuggets: Reflections on an Incredible Season

You’d like the organization to be held accountable for consecutive years of bad defense and for the lack of production from second, third and fourth lines.  Hockey can be a different animal, though and you also want to lend support and patience.  The NHL isn’t like the NBA and NFL as far as fan bases go.  It’s hard to talk hockey if you don’t understand hockey so many don’t even try.

By contrast, I argued for two days with a gentleman over whether quarterback rating is a valid measurement of quarterback performance.  His claim is that only the win-loss record of the team matters when evaluating QB performance.  It’s as absurd a take as I’ve ever tried to debate but he was entrenched in that idea and felt comfortable expressing such.  Hockey fans don’t often bite on silly theories or stories, so when a fan base starts grumbling, it’s worth noting.

Joel Quenneville was recently let go by the Chicago Blackhawks and Avalanche fans have openly wondered whether Jared Bednar is getting the best from his team.  Quenneville, who played for the original Colorado Rockies and coached the Avalanche remains a popular figure.  His three Cups in Chicago don’t hurt his resume.

A coaching change may not be on the table yet but the Avalanche are going to have to string some wins together to quiet the hum.  What better place to start than tonight in Winnipeg.

Here’s what you need to know:

Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets

Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba 6PM MDT

TV: Altitude, TSN3

Radio: Altitude 92.5. TSN 1290

Streaming: Altitude NOW (Subscription)

Favorite: Avalanche +135

Injry Report:

Colorado Avalanche:

Tyson Jost C – out

Winnipeg Jets:

Brendan Lemieux LW – out/suspended