BOTTOM LINE: The San Jose Sharks enter the matchup with the Colorado Avalanche as losers of three in a row. Colorado is 20-3-4 in home games and 36-9-9 overall. The Avalanche are 11-0-4 when scoring a power-play goal. San Jose has gone 13-14-1 in road games and 27-23-4 overall. The Sharks have a 13-5-3 record in one-goal games.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - The Colorado Avalanche has eight players from five different countries competing in the Olympics. With the Winter Olympics opening ceremony taking place on Friday in Milan, Italy, many Avs players are gearing up, but not just for Team USA.

The Colorado Avalanche struggled in all phases Thursday night and got blown out, 7-3, by the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre.

Avalanche conditions have improved since last weekend's storm, but officials say dangerous terrain still exists, especially on wind-loaded slopes.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog returned to practice with his teammates for the first time since his January 4 injury, marking significant progress towards a hopeful Olympic future.

Earlier this month, the Avalanche hosted the 2001 Cup Classic, presented by KeyBank, to honor the team that brought the franchise its second Stanley Cup championship. Prior to the game on the ice that was preceded by a ceremony honoring the 2001 squad, several members from that team spoke to the media to share memories from that season.

It was evident the game would unfold in a very different manner less than one minute into the game as Detroit got on the board quickly taking advantage of a 2-on-1 and a rusty Devon Toews in the process.

With the NHL's Olympic roster freeze on the horizon, here is one trade the Colorado Avalanche should try sneaking in before the soft deadline.