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Colorado Avalanche News

MacKinnon (illness) is on the ice for warmups and is expected to play against the Lightning on Monday.

MacKinnon is dealing with an illness that made him a game-time decision for Colorado's Monday night meeting against the Tampa Bay Lightning. MacKinnon has been producing at-will lately, scoring 17 points (3G / 14A) in his last 10 games, playing predominantly on a line with Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin.

Nathan MacKinnon
Mackenzie Blackwood was the first goalie off the ice at San Jose's morning skate.

Blackwood did not play in the Sharks' 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday but will likely return to the crease on Monday when they take on the Washington Capitals. Blackwood has played exceptionally for the last-place Sharks over his last seven games (2-3-1), recording an impressive .917 SV%. The Sharks are +188 home underdogs against a Capitals team coming off a 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Blackwood was heroic in a losing effort against the Capitals on October 29th, saving 39 of 41 shots (.951 SV%) in a 3-1 loss.

Mackenzie Blackwood
Nathan MacKinnon (illness) will be a game-time decision Monday vs. Tampa Bay.

MacKinnon is dealing with an illness that could keep him out of Colorado's Monday night meeting against the Tampa Bay Lightning. MacKinnon has been producing at-will lately, scoring 17 points (3G / 14A) in his last 10 games, playing predominantly on a line with Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin. If MacKinnon is unable to play, expect the Avalanche to thrust Ryan Johansen into a larger role.

Nathan MacKinnon
MacKinnon (undisclosed) had X-rays taken following Wednesday's game and his status for Friday is uncertain.

MacKinnon was reportedly carted to the X-ray room following Wednesday's game but no update was provided on his status. Until the Avalanche discloses any information on MacKinnon, consider him questionable to play Friday in Minnesota.

Nathan MacKinnon
Mackenzie Blackwood will start Monday in Vancouver.

The Sharks recorded their first victory of the season without Blackwood between the pipes on Friday but will turn back to him on Monday when they visit the Vancouver Canucks. Blackwood's 4.02 GAA and .898 SV% are nothing to marvel at but considering the circumstances of playing on a league-worst Sharks team, the 26-year-old goaltender has played admirably, making at least 38 saves in three of his last four contests (2-2-0) while posting a .929 SV%. Heroics of Blackwood aside, the Sharks are huge +318 road underdogs against a Canucks team that already beat the Sharks earlier this month by a whopping 10-1 score.

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood will start Monday vs. the New York Rangers.

Jake Oettinger started the last three games for the Stars (2-1-0), allowing three or more goals in each, capped off by allowing five unanswered goals in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. As a result, Pete DeBoer and the Stars coaching staff have opted to rest Oettinger in Monday's contest against the New York Rangers, as Wedgewood will start for the fifth time this season. Wedgewood has been solid when called upon, posting a 3.02 GAA and .917 SV% through four games this season (3-1-0). That said, the Rangers have been tough to beat this season, winning 10 of their last 11 (10-0-1) while scoring four or more goals in five consecutive games (5-0-0).

Scott Wedgewood
Danil Gushchin has been loaned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).

Gushchin had an assist, and three SOG while averaging 14:57 TOI in two games with San Jose but has been loaned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) Friday. The 21-year-old right winger returns to the AHL, where he was on a tear earlier in the season with four goals, 13 points, six PIMs and a +3 plus/minus.

Daniil Gushchin
Nicolas Roy (undisclosed) will return to Vegas' lineup after a 9-game absence Thursday.

Roy will return to the Golden Knights lineup on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens, marking his first action since October 24th when he suffered an undisclosed injury. In seven games this season, Roy averaged 15:04 time-on-ice and picked up four points (3G / 1A), firing 13 shots on goal. He is expected to play on the fourth line with Will Carrier and Keegan Kolesar.

Nicolas Roy
Josh Manson (upper body) is day-to-day and will miss Wednesday vs. Anaheim.

Manson remains day-to-day after missing Colorado's Monday night matchup against the Seattle Kraken and will remain out of the lineup on Wednesday when the team takes on the Anaheim Ducks. The 10-year-veteran is averaging a career-low 15:59 time-on-ice through 13 games, nearly a full two minutes less than any previous season, while tallying one point (0G / 1A), 18 blocks, and 20 hits. The Avalanche has recalled defenceman Sam Malinski and Caleb Jones from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.

Josh Manson