Avalanche (1C) to Oilers (2P)
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Colorado leads the best of 7 series with 3-0
Colorado Avelanch could qualify for the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 2001 with a win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Rogers Place Western Conference Finals on Monday.
“This is definitely the mentality you need to have to try to end a series,” said Avalanche defender Jack Johnson. “It’s always the hardest thing to win. Each series has its own life. Each series is a different challenge. We’re just trying to stay focused and keep playing the same way, and we’re trying to get better with each game and every night, because it’s going to get harder every night. “
[RELATED: Complete Avalanche vs. Oilers series coverage]
Colorado beat the Nashville Predators in the first round, winning 5-3 in Game 4. With a chance to eliminate St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of the second round, Avelanch lost 5-4 after extra time before winning 3-2 in Game 6. .
The Oilers face elimination for the third time in the playoffs. They won games 6 and 7 in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings.
Edmonton will play without Evander Kane. The striker was suspended for one match by the NHL Players’ Safety Department due to the upload of Avalanche striker Nazem Kadri 1:06 in match 3.
Footage dropped for the series with an injury to the upper body. Kane leads the Stanley Cup playoffs with 13 goals in 15 games.
“We’ve been doing it all season; that’s the mentality of the next man,” said Oilers striker Leon Dreiseitl. “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.”
The teams that lead the best 7-3 series are 198-4 in NHL history, 2-0 in the playoffs in 2022.
Here are 3 keys to Game 4:
1. Eulers need more time for a zone
Edmonton had difficulty building up offensive pressure, something that hadn’t been a problem in the playoffs before. The Oilers have averaged 4.00 goals per game in the postseason, but have scored two in their last two games, losing Game 2 in Denver 4-0 and Game 3 in Edmonton 4-2.
“We don’t spend as much time in their zone, so you won’t put the puck in the net as often as you want,” said striker Zack Hyman. “It simply came to our notice then.
“[In Game 3] we managed to stop their breakthrough better than the previous two, to get on the front check and to be able to stay on the puck a little longer. To be successful, we will have to play this tough game and spend a few minutes with these experienced defenders. “
2. Avalanche wants the puck to move
One of the advantages of Avalanche is that they manage to hold the puck and move quickly in all areas.
Hyman pointed out that this is one of the reasons why the Oilers had so many problems in establishing a preliminary inspection.
This is what Avalanche wants to keep doing.
“We have to play by our identity, stay aggressive, assertive and keep attacking as much as possible,” said coach Jared Bednar. “It’s part of who we are and part of what makes us good.”
3. Repeated chemistry
Avalanche will have several options to take the place of Kadri, as Miko Rantanen or JT Compher will move to the second center. Compher played there during Match 3 after Kadri was injured.
Bednar would not remove his hand.
“Depending on what they do with their lines, we will have several ready-made options,” Bednar said. “There are certain matches that I like more than others against some of their talent. We will consider this. We have a bunch of different guys who could go in there, and we can structure our lineup in one of several ways. We may have to change it as we go through the game. “
Avalanche forecast composition
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan McKinnon – Valerie Nichushkin
Arthur Lehkonen – Miko Rantanen – Andre Burakowski
Alex Newhook – JT Comper – Nico Storm
Andrew Collano – Darren Helm – Logan O’Connor
Devon Tows – Cale McCarthy
Jack Johnson – Josh Manson
Bowen Bayram – Eric Johnson
Pavel Frankuz
Justus Anunen
Scratched: Ryan Murray, Curtis McDermid
wounded: Samuel Girard (sternum), Darcy Kumper (upper body), Nazem Kadri (upper body), Nicolas Obe-Kubel (lower body)
Oilers predicts lineup
Zack Hyman – Connor McDavid – Zack Cassian
Ryan Newgent-Hopkins – Leon Dreisel – Josh Archibald
Warren Vogel – Ryan McLeod – Jesse Pulyuarvi
Derek Ryan – Derrick Brasard
Nurse Darnell – Cody Sessie
Duncan Keith – Evan Bouchard
Brett Fist – Tyson Barry
Chris Russell
Mike Smith
Miko Koskinen
Scratched: Devin Shore, Olivier Rodrigue
wounded: Kyler Yamamoto (upper body)
suspended: Evander Kane
Status report
Kumper takes part in the morning skating, but is not expected to play. The goalkeeper has been out since leaving at 7:19 of the second period in Game 1. … Yamamoto is not available, said Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft. The striker was injured when Landeskog hit in the first period of match 2 … The Oilers are expected to play with 11 strikers and seven defenders. Brasard is expected to play with Yamamoto and Kane.
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