There’s a way to beat the Colorado Avalanche: make them play with just 10 forwards. That strategy worked on Tuesday night, as visiting Edmonton handed the NHL-leading Avalanche a 4-3 loss, snapping their five-game winning streak. Colorado will look to rebound Thursday in Seattle.

The game took a toll on the Avalanche early. Ross Colton, who had scored earlier, left midway through the second period with an upper-body injury. Later, Nathan MacKinnon, the league leader with 43 goals, was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct after colliding with Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram while driving to the net.

Despite being shorthanded, Colorado tied the game 3-3 at 7:04 of the third period, only to allow a Connor McDavid power-play goal two minutes later. The Avalanche were unable to recover.

“Going 10 forwards for almost half the game is not easy, but it’s the hand we were dealt,” said recently reacquired Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri. “We tried to come back. I thought we had a good push, but at the end of the day, there’s a lot we could clean up.”

Coach Jared Bednar agreed, noting the team’s effort but acknowledging the struggles. “That wasn’t a great night considering what we needed from our team against the Oilers,” he said. “There are things I liked from the third period, but for a full 60 minutes, it wasn’t our best. Our guys are working hard.”

Bednar added that he hoped Colton could return Thursday. “He took a shot during the game and tightened up,” Bednar said. “It’s an upper-body injury, but hopefully he loosens up and can play in Seattle.”

This matchup will be the second of three meetings this season. Colorado won 5-3 on Dec. 16 in Seattle, with MacKinnon recording two goals and an assist, and goalie Mackenzie Blackwood making 35 saves.

Seattle, currently holding the Western Conference’s second and final wild-card playoff spot, is finishing a six-game homestand at 2-3-0. The Kraken outshot visiting Nashville 19-7 in the first period Tuesday and built a two-goal lead, but fell 4-2.

“I thought we came out well,” said Kraken coach Lane Lambert. “Our team hasn’t been in this position for a couple of years. Right now, it seems like anything that can go wrong will go wrong. There’s a lot of hockey left, so we’ve got to dig ourselves out.”

Center Matty Beniers, who scored for Seattle and fought in his first career NHL bout, said the focus is on the team. “Not too worried about what’s going on around the league,” he said. “We just focus on winning games. If we do that, things take care of themselves.”

Seattle also hopes forward Bobby McMann, acquired Friday from Toronto, can make his Kraken debut after resolving visa issues.

-Field Level Media/Reuters