In the penultimate game of the Avalanche’s regular season Thursday night, an overtime or shootout loss would suffice as one point would clinch a playoff berth for the second consecutive season.
But the Avs are wired to defeat the struggling Winnipeg Jets in regulation at the Pepsi Center.
Colorado will also clinch a playoff spot if Arizona loses at Las Vegas late Thursday.
“We need this badly,” Avalanche star center Nathan MacKinnon said Thursday after a morning skate. “We can’t rely on anyone to beat Arizona. We need to win this ourselves.