LAS VEGAS — The Avalanche will again use a nontraditional lineup against the Vegas Golden Knights, sticking with 11 forwards and seven defensemen to conclude the home-and-home set Monday night at T-Mobile Arena.
The only lineup change for the Avs — who defeated the Knights 2-1 in a shootout Saturday in Denver — is defenseman replacing fellow rookie .
Mark Alt, who was claimed off waivers from the on Feb. 26, will again be Colorado’s extra defenseman, playing in his second consecutive game after being a healthy scratch in every previous game since he was acquired.
Coach Jared Bednar is using one less forward and an extra defenseman, partly because of the injuries to forwards and , who both have lower-body ailments and are not on the single-game trip. But Bednar also wants to give his top forwards more ice time and make Alt the third right-shooting defensemen in the lineup.
In net, goalie will make his 21st consecutive appearance, and 19th start during that stretch. The Avs say fellow goalie remains unavailable with an infected cut, and he also isn’t on the trip.
Colorado is looking to solidify its playoff position against the Knights, who will clinch a playoff berth with a win or overtime/shootout loss. The Avs sit in the first of two Western Conference playoff spots, the No. 7 seed, but are just a point ahead of No. 8 St. Louis and Los Angeles, which has played one more game than the Blues.
After Monday night, the Avs have six remaining games, beginning with a two-game homestand against Philadelphia and Chicago on Wednesday and Friday.
Avalanche lineup
Forwards:
Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Nieto-Soderberg-Comeau
Jost-Compher-Kerfoot
Bourque-Toninato
ٱڱԲ:
Nemeth-Johnson
Zadorov-Barrie
Girard-Lindholm/Alt
Goalies:
Varlamov
Martin
