Colorado Prepares for First Back-to-Back of Season

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--The Colorado Avalanche has played every other day for more than a week now and is entering its first back-to-back of the season, making rest and readiness critical for the club at this early stage of the campaign.
With that in mind, the Avs held a team video meeting and optional practice on Thursday at Family Sports Center, with about half of the skaters and both goaltenders participating in the on-ice session.

"We had a good film session this morning," said head coach Jared Bednar. "Talking a little bit about our offensive-zone play and ways we can play offense. Some things we're doing well, some things we need to improve on.
"The optional skate I think was just because we're going into a back-to-back, and I think this will now be seven (games) in 12 nights for us. We're riding some guys pretty heavily. We want to make sure we're fresh--that is the most important thing going into tomorrow night. I like where our attitude is at as individuals and as a team and make sure they're rested and ready to go for tomorrow night."
The back-to-back begins on Friday at home against the Ottawa Senators and concludes Saturday with a road contest at the Minnesota Wild.
Colorado's schedule opens up after this weekend as the team will then be in the lightest stretch of its schedule, playing only two contests in a 10-day span (excluding the combined all-star break and bye week).

The Avs are coming off a 1-0 loss to the 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lighting on Wednesday night, a defeat that snapped had their three-game win streak and six-game point streak (4-0-2). It was a tightly-contested affair, as both teams traded offensive rushes throughout the game but were then stonewalled by solid defensive coverage and goaltending. A combined 46 shots on net were recorded between the squads, with the only puck getting through coming on a power play.
"I think we have added incentive tomorrow night," Bednar said. "The Tampa game, we played real well and weren't able to get any points. We should be a hungry team."
Goaltender Philipp Grubauer will get the start in the game against the Senators, and Semyon Varlamov will guard the pipes on Saturday at the Minnesota Wild.
Bednar said he hasn't made any other decisions on the team's lineup.