(Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
While going 8-2 and enjoying a five-game winning streak in the first 10 games of December, the Avalanche was a balanced bunch. Scoring was spread from the first line to the fourth.
But at the same time, first-line center Nathan MacKinnon suffered through a goal-scoring drought that still exists, and he and his wingers were held without a goal the past three games.
Time for a change. The Nine Line — coined from the sweater numbers of Gabe Landeskog (92), MacKinnon (29) and Matt Duchene (9) — was not intact in Saturday's practice and is not expected to surface in Sunday's game against the Arizona Coyotes at the Pepsi Center.