Ahead of Dallas duel, Avalanche can't overlook Penguins

The Colorado Avalanche are in a tight battle with Dallas for first place in the Central Division, so every point matters. They can pick up two more when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.

Colorado has been atop the NHL standings for most of the season, but the Stars' 14-0-1 surge has cut the gap to three points with a showdown looming on Wednesday night. But the Avalanche, who have played one fewer game than Dallas, can't afford to look past Pittsburgh, which is also in a fight for a playoff spot.

The Penguins are in second place in the Metropolitan Division but their hold on a postseason seed is thin. They are just a point ahead of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, and a loss Monday could put them out of a playoff spot with 15 games remaining.

Monday should have been the return of defenseman Samuel Girard, whom Colorado dealt to Pittsburgh on Feb. 24 for defenseman Brett Kulak, but Girard has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. The Penguins have not updated Girard's status for Monday night.

Pittsburgh does know it will not have Sidney Crosby in the lineup. Crosby has been out since suffering a knee injury playing for Team Canada in the Olympics last month and Pittsburgh is 4-3-3 without its captain.

Despite his absence, Crosby leads the team with 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists).

The Penguins rallied to win at Utah on Saturday night, scoring twice in the third period to get the crucial two points.

"I think it really showed how resilient this group is," goaltender Stuart Skinner said.

Colorado tried to be resilient after a tough day of travel on Friday. The Avalanche, who won at Seattle on Thursday night, had their flight to Winnipeg delayed and didn't reach the city until 11 p.m., 15 hours before puck drop.

"Stuff like that's going to happen and it's obviously out of our control, but I felt like it was a good team-bonding experience," defenseman Cale Makar said.

Colorado, which had won six straight road games prior to the 3-1 loss to the Jets, won't have Artturi Lehkonen or Gabriel Landeskog available while they recover from injuries. Once they do return, Nazem Kadri, acquired at the trade deadline from Calgary, can move back to his natural center position.

Kadri has been playing the wing on the top line and has a goal and an assist in four games since the trade.

The Avalanche are led by Nathan MacKinnon, who is second in the NHL in scoring with 109 points. His 44 goals lead the league and he is third with 65 assists. Martin Necas is second on the team with 80 points, which includes a career-high 31 goals.

Necas has goals in six of the last seven games and has nine goals and nine assists in the 10 games since the Olympic break.

Makar, with 19 goals and 48 assists, is third on Colorado in points and third in the NHL among defensemen.