With six days between games and his manpower situation changing, Avalanche coach Jared Bedar put together new lines and skated them through three days of quick-paced practices leading up to Friday’s night’s meeting with the Winnipeg Jets at the Pepsi Center.
Bednar said he hoped the moves, which included moving Matt Duchene from wing back to center, would develop chemistry and lead to enough production to make continuity possible.
The first night of the rearrangements was a flop, though it was largely due to the work of Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson.
Hutchinson, a 26-year-old in his fourth season with the Jets, had 37 saves in Winnipeg’s 1-0 win, and big winger Shawn Matthias, who had six goals in 20 games for Colorado last season as a short-term rental following his acquisition near the trading deadline last February, had the Jets’ decisive goal.