In a bonus edition of the Avalanche Ink podcast, beat writer Corey Masisak speaks with Ryan Lambert of Elite Prospects and Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now to focus on the NCAA hockey tournament and the mystery man, Nikolai Kovalenko. Among the topics discussed:

+ How does DU stack up against the other title contenders?

+ What could be the Pios' biggest weakness?

+ What needs to happen for Colorado College to make the tournament?

+ Is the Eastern Conference, beyond the Florida Panthers, just kind of meh?

+ What are the strengths of Kovalenko's game?

+ Why is he different than most Russian prospects?

+ Where could he fit for the Avs?

+ What are the potential pitfalls for the Avs despite the recent hot streak?