Columbus Blue Jackets @ Colorado Avalanche 10/13/07 9:00 P.M. EST

Probable lineups:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Nash Modin Vyborny

Novotny Fedorov Zherdev

Chimera Malhotra Brule

Shelley Peca Fritsche

Hejda Foote

Klesla Hainsey

Russell Tollefsen

Leclaire

Norrena

Colorado Avalanche

Smyth Sakic Hejduk

Hlinka Stastny Brunette

Wolski Arnason Svatos

Guite Smith Parker

Hannan Skrastins

Leopold Sauer

Clark Liles

Budaj

Theodore

Game notes

The Avalanche are coming off a 4-1 loss to St. Louis last night in St. Louis. They didn't get into Colorado until after midnight. Meanwhile the Jackets arrived yesterday afternoon and actually were waiting on the home team to arrive. What I'm getting at here is that the Jackets have absolutely no excuse to not outwork this Avalanche team.

You have to figure that the Avalanche are looking at this Jackets team as a "must-win" after last night's loss. A Jackets team that was picked to finish dead last in the conference by many "experts" may be already penciled in for 2 points by a Avalanche team that missed the playoffs for the first time in since they arrived in Colorado 10 years ago and spent heavily in the free agent market adding Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan. The Jackets will in no doubt need to be prepared for the first 10 minute push by this team and then play their heavy game.

It wouldn't surprise me tonight if Shelley is scratched again and Hitch goes with 7 defensemen and 11 forwards. It sounds like Modin will play tonight but we definitely know Jared Boll will not since he did not even make the trip. Look for Boll to be in the lineup again on Wednesday at home against Dallas.

The Avalanche are 2-2 on the season and unbeaten at home. The Jackets are 2-1 and also unbeaten at home. The Jackets have only won at Colorado once (and that came last year under Hitch) are are 2-20-2-0 all time in this series. Needless to say they have been owned by this team thus far but there is no better time to start turning things around than tonight.

Rick Nash, David Vyborny, Sergei Fedorov and Fredrik Modin have gone pointless since opening night -- look for them to get back on the score sheet. Gilbert Brule, Dan Fritsche Rusty Klesla have been held scoreless through 3 games.

Pascal Leclaire gets the start in net after back to back home shutouts.

The game is televised on FSN Ohio and can be heard on cd101.com.

This will be a good test for this team. Lets see if they can keep the momentum going.

-LTL