COLORADO AVALANCHE (47-22-6) VS MINNESOTA WILD (36-29-9)
6:00 PM MDT | XCEL ENERGY CENTER | WATCH: ALTITUDE TV| LISTEN: 92.5 FM
Colorado will compete in its third game of the season against Minnesota this Thursday at Xcel Energy Center. The Avalanche are 10-2-1 in their last 13 matchups this season, outscoring their opponents 53-31 during that stretch. This game is the Wild’s fifth of their six-game homestand, during which they have a record of 2-0-2.
Latest Results:
April 1, 2024 CBJ: 4 COL: 1
April 2, 2024 MIN: 3 OTT: 2
BEAT BY THE BLUE JACKETS
On Monday night at Nationwide Arena, Colorado fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-1. After a scoreless first period, Kirill Marchenko opened the scoring for Columbus and Alexander Nylander lit the lamp twice to put Colorado into a three-goal deficit. In the third period, Chris Wagner scored for the Avalanche, marking his first goal for the team since Jan. 16, 2016, also occurring against the Blue Jackets. Cole Sillinger extended the Columbus lead to 4-with an empty-net goal, sealing the 4-1 victory for them. Despite this loss, the Avalanche out-shot the Blue Jackets in their season-series, 97-49.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Nathan MacKinnon was named NHL’s Second Star for the month of March. He ranked among the March leaders in points (2nd; 27), shots on goal (T-2nd; 68), plus/minus (4th; +14), goals (t-4th; 11), assists (t-4th; 16) and power-play points (t-4th; 8) over 13 games. His efforts helped guide the Avalanche to their seventh consecutive playoff berth, posting a 10-2-1 record for the month and reaching 100 points (47-22-6).
The Avalanche registered 46 shots while playing the Blue Jackets, marking the 10th instance this season they've had 40 or more shots in one game. They have recorded six consecutive seasons with at least 10 games reaching this shot count, the longest streak in franchise history. Colorado is the only team to have accomplished this feat in every season since 2018-19.
Chris Wagner found the back of the net on Monday night, becoming the 30th skater to score a goal with the Avalanche this campaign to lead the NHL. 1990-91 (33) and 1991-92 (30) are the only teams in franchise history to boast at least 30 different players scoring a goal with the club.
HISTORY
The Avalanche own an all-time record of 61-47-3-12 versus the Wild. On the road, the franchise has a 28-23-1-10 tally against them. This upcoming matchup will be the third time the teams meet this season, with the Avalanche having won the first two games this campaign (Nov. 24, 2023; Mar. 8, 2024). Over its past ten encounters against Minnesota, Colorado is 6-3-1.
WILD WIN
Minnesota ended Ottawa’s five-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday night. Mason Shaw initiated the scoring for the Wild, netting his first goal of the season. Matt Boldy extended Minnesota’s lead before Ottawa responded with two power-play goals, tying it 2-2. Vinni Lettieri lit the lamp in the final frame, powering the Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Senators.
STATS TO KNOW
MacKinnon has registered 52 points (17g/35a) in 45 games against the Wild in his career, eighteen of them resulting in multi-point games.
Mikko Rantanen achieved his second career four-point game against Minnesota on Mar. 2, 2018. Throughout his career, he has picked up two four-point games against them, tied for the highest number he has recorded against any NHL team.
After a three-season tenure with Minnesota (2021-24), Brandon Duhaime is set to make his first appearance at Xcel Energy Center as an opponent since leaving the team.
MINNESOTA MILESTONES
Marc-Andre Fleury ranks third among all NHL netminders with 26,519 career saves. In Jan. 2024, Fleury passed former-Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy for the second-most wins by a goaltender in NHL history with 561.
Brock Faber and Marco Rossi both rank among the top 10 of NHL rookies this season. Faber is ranked in points (41, 3rd) and assists (34, 2nd), while Rossi is ranked in points (37, 5th), goals (20, T-2nd) and assists (17, 9th).
Kirill Kaprizov leads Minnesota in points, goals, and assists this campaign, registering 83 (37g/46a) in 67 games.
NUMBERS GAME
5th
Cale Makar has become the fifth defenseman in NHL history, joining Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Bobby Orr, and Denis Potvin, to achieve multiple seasons with at least 81 points within the first 70 games played.
18
Sean Walker picked up the helper on Wagner's goal on Monday night, his 18th assist of the campaign. He is one shy from equaling his career-high, set in 2019-20 with Los Angeles.
19
Artturi Lehkonen has recorded 19 points (10g/9a) in 26 games since returning from his injury.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“We’re too late in the year to point fingers at anyone. I think we all have to be better, we have to find a way to get results and play the game. We want to feel good about our game going into playoffs, so I think it’s not good enough tonight. We’ve had a few good games at home but, we have to do better on the road.”
- Colorado LW Andrew Cogliano On Monday’s Game Against Columbus
