The Colorado Avalanche wearing Quebec Nordiques uniforms against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre will serve as a reminder of the province's fierce hockey rivalry that featured gruelling playoff battles.

One of Jared Bednar’s oft-used metaphors likens a hockey season to a boat, a series of leaks that need to be fixed in time to be in peak working condition for the playoffs.

With both teams currently going through a slump, Saturday’s game will be a crucial opportunity for the Red Wings and Avalanche to respond.

After beginning January on a historic pace, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves stumbling as they wrap up the month at the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday afternoon.

The Avalanche continue to chug along as the best team in the NHL. While they might not be as dominant as they were earlier in the season, Colorado remains atop the league standings, nine points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the best record in the NHL.

SportsLine NHL analyst Scott Erskine breaks down his top 10 teams ahead of Week 17

The Montreal Canadiens host the Colorado Avalanche after the Canadiens knocked off the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime