MINNESOTA WILD (37-31-9) AT COLORADO AVALANCHE (48-24-6)
7:30 PM MDT | BALL ARENA | WATCH: ESPN | LISTEN: 92.5 FM
The Avalanche host the Wild in the final regular season matchup between the two teams. Colorado has won six of its last seven home contests with divisional opponents. The Avs have posted a 15-7-2 record against the Central Division this campaign, including an 8-3-0 mark at home. Colorado ranks second in the Central Division, two points ahead of Winnipeg with four games remaining. The Wild resume their five-game road trip and are looking to win their first game of the season series with the Avalanche. Minnesota sits nine points back from the second wild card spot (Vegas Golden Knights).
Latest Results:
April 7, 2024 DAL: 7 COL: 4
April 7, 2024 MIN: 4 CHI: 0
DOWNED BY DALLAS
The Avalanche were bested by the Stars 7-4 on Sunday night at Ball Arena. It was the Colorado’s only loss to Dallas in the regular season series. The Avalanche scored first just 1:59 into the game when Sean Walker found the back of the net. Dallas struck twice with under three minutes to go in the first period to take a 2-1 lead at the first intermission getting contributions from Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn. Artturi Lehkonen evened the game at two with his 15th tally of the season. The Stars would tally three straight power-play goals that saw Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment all light the lamp. Brandon Duhaime potted his first as a member of the Avalanche to cut the deficit to two before the second intermission. Colorado would bring the game within a goal in the final frame when Jonathan Drouin tipped a point shot past Jake Oettinger. Dallas extended their lead with two goals, one from Wyatt Johnston and the other from Seguin (empty-net) to secure the 7-4 victory.
AVS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Nathan MacKinnon found the scoresheet for the third consecutive game with a 0g/2a outing. Sunday marked MacKinnon’s 42nd multi-point game of 2023-24, tying the single-season franchise record held by Peter Stastny in 1981-82. MacKinnon has 83 points (31 goals, 52 assists) in 38 home games, which is tied with Jaromir Jagr (1995-96) for the second-most at home in a season in the last 30 years (Mario Lemieux had 104 points in 1995-96).
Walker netted his 10th goal of the season and fourth with the Avs. Now with 14 games with Colorado under his belt, Walker leads the club’s defensemen corps in goals and ranks third in points (6) since his team debut on March 8.
Lehkonen extended his point streak to five games with a goal. It was the winger’s 15th of the season, coming in his 41st game. Lehkonen ranks fourth on the Avalanche in goals per game (0.37). He also reached the 30-point benchmark for the fourth time in his career.
Drouin tied his career-high in points in a season with 53 (two prior instances) by netting his 19th goal of 2023-24. The winger has registered 19 points (9g/10a) in his last 15 games.
Zach Parise suited up in his 1,250th career game. He’s just the 15th American in NHL history to reach that benchmark.
HISTORY
The Avalanche/Nordiques own a 62-47-3-12 all-time record against the Wild/North Stars, with a 33-24-2-2 mark at home. Colorado is 3-0-0 in the regular season series against Minnesota and are looking to sweep them for the first time since 2000-01 (5-0-0-0). The Avs are 7-2-1 in their last 10 home matchups with the Wild. Colorado defeated the Wild 3-2, 2-1 and 5-2 this season, the most recent being the 5-2 victory at Xcel Energy Center last Thursday. The 2-1 win at Ball Arena came in overtime with a goal from Valeri Nichushkin.
BLANKING THE BLACKHAWKS
Minnesota defeated Chicago 4-0 on Sunday night at the United Center. The Wild swept the regular season series with Chicago three games to none and outscored them 10-2. Kirill Kaprizov kicked off the scoring on a power play in the middle frame. Marco Rossi and Frederick Gaudreau would each light the lamp, giving the Wild a commanding lead going into the third period. Kaprizov tallied his 41st of the season in the final frame to seal the 4-0 victory. Jesper Wallstedt stopped all 24 shots he faced and earned his first victory as well as shutout in his second career NHL game.
STATS TO KNOW
Lehkonen, Drouin and Valeri Nichushkin lead the Avalanche in goals with two apiece in the season series against the Wild.
MacKinnon has tallied 55 points (18g/37a) in his career against Minnesota. The 55 points are the most he has recorded against any franchise.
In their past 14 meetings at Ball Arena, the Avs have outscored the Wild 54-34.
MARVELOUS MINNESOTA
Since entering the league during the 2020-21 season, Kirill Kaprizov has recorded the sixth-most goals of any skater in the NHL accumulating 155.
Brock Faber ranks third among all rookies in scoring with 43 points (7g/36a). Faber has averaged the sixth-most time on ice per game of all NHL skaters, averaging 25:01 per game.
With an assist in Sunday’s contest, Joel Eriksson Ek reached a career-high in points racking up 62 (30g/32a) in 72 appearances. It is also the first time in his career he has hit the 30-goal benchmark.
NUMBERS GAME
84
Makar is one of just two defenseman (Quinn Hughes) to rank in the top 20 in points among all skaters in that category with 84.
19
Drouin is three goals away from establishing a career-high, entering Tuesday with 19. His previous career-high was 21 in the 2016-17 season with Tampa Bay.
10
Walker tallied his 10th goal of the season on Sunday. It is the first time in his he has hit the double digit mark in that category.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“I think you look at it 5-on-5 we did a lot of really good things. The bottom line is that we had to go earn everything we got. There was too much that I feel like they didn’t have to earn that we gave them. Give them credit they are a good team and they are going to make you pay for your mistakes and they did.”
- Colorado Head Coach Jared Bednar on Sunday’s Game
