Avalanche Game 34 at the San Jose Sharks, Georgiev vs. Blackwood! Lines, notes and how to look at them

The Colorado Avalanche (18-15-0) begin back-to-back meetings with their second meeting of the season against the San Jose Sharks (11-18-5) on Thursday in California. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. MT.

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The Avalanche had an uninspiring performance in a 3-1 loss in Vancouver. Admittedly, the team is dealing with an illness that has spread through the locker room. Head coach Jared Bednar said on Altitude Sports Radio early Thursday morning that the team is almost there.

The Canucks were struggling on home ice before the Avs arrived, conceding three goals before scoring with just 45 seconds left. Thatcher Demko nearly eliminated the Avs, while Mackenzie Blackwood again conceded just two goals in his second appearance since taking over, this time in a loss.

Blackwood is back in net and ready to take on his former team. He will face Alexandar Georgiev.

The two goalkeepers were swapped for each other in a seven-man transfer just ten days ago. Georgiev struggled mightily with the Avalanche early in the season and was sent to San Jose along with Nikolai Kovalenko and two draft picks for Blackwood, Givani Smith and a draft pick.

Blackwood and Georgiev are both 1-1-0 with their new clubs, although Blackwood has a save percentage of .937 while Georgiev has a save percentage of .868.

Both goalies are likely motivated to get a win over their former teams. But they were both treated under completely different circumstances.

For Blackwood, an eventual swap seemed inevitable. He was only brought to San Jose to get his career back on track – which he did. The impending unrestricted free agent should be traded to a playoff team as the Sharks, a rebuilding team, are unlikely to make the postseason this year.

San Jose also has another experienced goalkeeper in Vitek Vanecek, as well as young, rising star goalkeeper Yaroslav Askarov. Askarov will support Georgiev as Vanecek recently suffered an injury.

Georgiev’s profession struck him a little differently. Ultimately, he was a goaltender who was fired by a team hoping to compete for the Stanley Cup because they had lost confidence in him. Georgiev did not want to leave Colorado and still hoped to sign a new contract with the club sometime between now and next season.

But that’s all in the past. The highly motivated 28-year-old will most likely deliver his best performance of the season. He probably has this game circled on his calendar a lot more than Blackwood.

Kovalenko has also seen a breakout since the trade. The 25-year-old rookie has five assists in four games and is playing a larger role for San Jose. However, Kovalenko’s ice time is still about the same as it was in Denver.

San Jose enters the match on a two-game losing streak and sits in last place in the Pacific Division. The goal difference of -28 is the worst in the league.

Season series

• October 20 at San Jose Sharks (win, 4-1)
• December 19th at the San Jose Sharks
• March 6 vs. San Jose Sharks

Avalanche injuries

• Josh Manson (upper body, could return this week)
• Oliver Kylington (upper body, week by week)
• Miles Wood (upper body, LTIR)
• Jonathan Drouin (upper body, week by week)
• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no schedule)

READ MORE: Power Play fails in Avalanche’s recent loss

Projected avalanche lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Ross Colton – Casey Mittelstadt – Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta – Parker Kelly – Logan O’Connor
Givani Smith – Ivan Ivan – Chris Wagner

Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Samuel Girard-Sam Malinski
Keaton Middleton-Calvin de Haan

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Planned starters (subject to change)

• Confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
• Confirmed: Alexandar Georgiev (SJS)

Upcoming milestones

• Mikko Rantanen – needs 3 PPG for 100
• Nathan MacKinnon – needs 4 PPG for 100
• Cale Makar – needs 5 goals for 100
• Logan O’Connor – needs 4 games for 300
• Chris Wagner – needs 5 games for 400
• Devon Toews – needs 6 assists for 200

Here’s how to watch

• TV: Alpine sports
• Radio: 92.5 FM