Who to Hate: Avalanche Rooting Interests

The Avalanche picked up four out of six possible points over the past week with wins against Chicago and Vegas and they are still playing meaningful games at the end of March!  We won’t talk about the Los Angeles game.  Calgary has all but eliminated themselves from playoff contention, Dallas finds themselves on the outside looking in, Anaheim is still battling, and the St. Louis Blues have made a resurgence, even though their GM gave up on them during the trade deadline, and find themselves in a playoff spot.  I’m still going to include Dallas in these articles, but for all intents and purposes, Calgary has been eliminated.  Let’s take a look at the big games coming up this week

Monday, March 26

Calgary Flames at Los Angeles Kings

The Flames are basically done but Anaheim doesn’t want to give up and currently, the Kings are on the outside looking in.  Let’s go Flames.

Tuesday, March 27

San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues

Given the fact that the Blues aren’t giving up, this is a huge game.  With the Sharks fairly locked into a playoff spot, the Avs should cheer for the Sharks.

Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators

The Wild are most likely in a playoff spot, but who doesn’t want to see them lose? Go Preds.

Philadelphia Flyers at Dallas Stars

The Flyers are battling to keep their playoff hopes alive, so this is a huge one for both teams.  If Dallas loses, they are all but done, and who doesn’t want to see that?

Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks

Hey, that rhymes.  It would be nice to get some help from a bottom feeder, so let’s go Canucks!

Wednesday, March 28

Other than the Avs game against the Flyers, there are no notable games.

Thursday, March 29

Arizona Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings

May the Coyotes be the city of angels we are looking for, let’s go ‘yotes!

Friday, March 30

Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks

This one will likely depend on how the first half of the week has gone.  The most we can hope for at this point is a regulation win and two points please. That being said, remember that the Avs hold a large lead in ROW on top of the Ducks.

St. Louis Blues at Vegas Golden Knights

St. Louis is trying to prove they’re something relevant still and the Knights are trying to prove that they’re not a fluke.  Avs fans hope for the Knights to take two points (and man wasn’t that game against the Avs fun last week?)

Saturday, March 31

Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars

The Wild may be looking to put the nail in the coffin against the Stars.  It’s probably in the Avs’ best playoff interests to get the first wild card spot rather than the third Central Division spot.  I know it feels dirty, but if the Stars aren’t eliminated by this game, we should probably root for the Wild.

St. Louis Blues at Arizona Coyotes

Pretty easy here, let’s go Coyotes!

Sunday, April 1

Only notable game on April Fools Day is the Avs at the Ducks.  Hopefully they won’t be fooled.

Two weeks left in the NHL season.  The Avs have meaningful games and most of us are surprised by that fact.  Not only do they have meaningful games, but they are on the inside looking out.  If the Avs take care of their own business, then rooting for other teams won’t even matter.  They have 7 games left, and history tells us that winning 3 out of 7 games gets them to 96 points, which may be the magic number to get in.  4 out of 7 gets them to 98 and all but guarantees that they enter the playoffs.