The Colorado Avalanche prepare to host the Minnesota Wild tonight at Ball Arena, with the puck dropping at 7:08 p.m. MT. This matchup carries significant weight as both teams vie for playoff positioning within the competitive Central Division.
The Avalanche enter this game with a record of 34 wins, 24 losses, and 2 overtime losses, providing them the opportunity to greatly improve their standing against their division rivals, the Minnesota Wild, who hold 34 wins, 21 losses, and 4 overtime losses. Currently, Colorado trails Minnesota by just two points but has the edge with the regulation wins tiebreaker.
Coming off of an impressive 5-1 victory against the New Jersey Devils, the Avalanche will look to capitalize on their recent momentum. During the game against the Devils, head coach Jared Bednar highlighted the performance of his team's top six, who were fully healthy for the first time this season, aside from Gabriel Landeskog, who is still sidelined with his knee injury. Valeri Nichushkin's return to the lineup is credited with providing the boost the Avalanche needed, adding significant depth to their scoring options.
"He will be back between the pipes against the Avs. Despite being the Wild’s top goalie, he has struggled against the Avs over his career," stated one report covering the match.
Tonight, Filip Gustavsson is expected to start for Minnesota after Marc-Andre Fleury had a rough outing on Thursday, allowing six goals against Utah Hockey Club. Despite his usual form, Gustavsson has had difficulties against the Avalanche, as his career record against them stands at just 1 win and 6 losses, with five of those being consecutive losses.
For the Avalanche, Mackenzie Blackwood will continue to guard the net. He has been solid since joining the team, boasting 15 wins and 7 losses along with a .922 save percentage. Notably, he has permitted only one goal during his last three home starts, raising hopes for Avalanche fans for tonight's performance.
Colorado’s lineup will consist of the same forward and defensive pairs used during Wednesday’s game. This includes dynamic offensive duos like Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, both of whom have been generating significant scoring chances. MacKinnon, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, scored two power-play goals last game, and Necas continues to impress with another three-point performance.
The Minnesota Wild, on the other hand, are on the second leg of back-to-back games after their disappointing result against Utah. Without their star player, Kirill Kaprizov, who is recovering from a lower body injury, the Wild have struggled lately, losing their last two games. They are currently 6-4-0 over their last ten outings, indicating consistent but unremarkable form as they head on the road to face the Avalanche.
Both teams are contending for valuable points as they inch closer to the playoffs. With the importance of the game underlined by its divisional stakes, it will be interesting to see how both teams adapt as they hit the ice tonight at Ball Arena.
Upcoming milestones for players include Logan O’Connor needing just three points for his 100th career point and Mackenzie Blackwood four wins away from his 100th victory. Cale Makar is also on the verge of reaching 300 assists, as he sits just six short of the milestone.
Fans will be tuned to Altitude Sports for television coverage and can catch the game on radio at 92.5 FM. With both teams eager to clinch more points and shift their fortunes positively, tonight's game definitely promises to be action-packed and filled with intensity.