Avs Begin Two-Game Set Against Wild on Thursday

The Colorado Avalanche continues its homestand when taking on the Minnesota Wild in the first contest of a crucial two-game set at Ball Arena on Thursday. It is the final series of the club's season-long, nine-game stretch in the Mile High City.
The Avs defeated the Anaheim Ducks 8-4 on Tuesday, storming back from a 4-2 first-period deficit to earn its fourth consecutive victory and improve to 17-8-2 on the season. Seven different players put together multi-point efforts as Nazem Kadri registered a season-high four points (two goals, two assists) and Devon Toews finished with a career-best three assists--also equaling his career high for points in a game. Nathan MacKinnon found the back of the net for the third straight matchup, while Mikko Rantanen tallied a goal and assist to extend his point streak to three contests. Goaltender Philip Grubauer came in as relief for Hunter Miska at the beginning of the second frame and stopped all 15 shots he faced to collect his 16th win of the campaign, which is tied for the second most in the league.

Minnesota (18-8-1) is coming off a 3-0 shutout against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday as netminder Kaapo Kahkonen made 31 saves for his second-career shutout and ninth straight victory. Mats Zuccarello had a goal to find the scoresheet for a fourth consecutive game, while Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Hartman both tallied markers as well.
Thursday's meeting is the fifth contest of an eight-game season series between the Avalanche and Wild.

Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild

Ball Arena | Denver, Colo.
| Game Time: | 7:00 p.m. | | --- | --- | | TV: | Altitude, Fox-Sports North (MIN) - blackouts apply | | Radio: | Altitude Sports Radio, AM 950/FM 92.5 (KKSE) | | Live Streams: | AltitudeNow.com, Official app (blackouts apply to all) | | Online Audio: | Listen Live Here | | Follow: | @Avalanche, Official app, Gamecenter |

COLORADO-MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS

Erik Johnson is from Bloomington, Minnesota, and played one season at the University of Minnesota (2006-07)... Avalanche netminder Hunter Miska is from North Branch, Minnesota, and played at the University of Minnesota Duluth (2016-17)… Defenseman Greg Pateryn started this season in Minnesota and played parts of two-plus seasons with the club… Wild defenseman Ian Cole spent the last two-plus seasons with Colorado… Minnesota goaltender Andrew Hammond spent part of the 2017-18 campaign with the Avalanche… Wild assistant coaches Darby Hendrickson (2003-2004) and Brett McLean (2005-2007) played for the Avs.

HISTORY

The Avs and Wild split the first four meetings of the season series, with both clubs hosting each other for two games apiece. The matchups have gone back and forth as neither team has won two in a row and half of the contests have been decided by one goal. Colorado won the first and third games of the series on Jan. 30 (5-1) and Feb. 2 (2-1), while Minnesota earned a 4-3 overtime victory on Jan. 31 and took the most recent matchup on Feb. 24 by a score of 6-2. Cale Makar (one goal, three assists), Samuel Girard (four assists) and Nathan MacKinnon (four assists) are all tied for the team lead in scoring versus the Wild this year, with goaltender Philipp Grubauer owning a 2-1-0 mark, .903 save percentage and a 2.35 goals-against average.
In 110 all-time games between the clubs, the Avs sport a 52-44-14 record against its division rival and a 6-4-0 mark in its last 10 at Ball Arena. The Avalanche hosts the Wild on Saturday in the final meeting of the year in Denver.

ROSTER REPORT

Bowen Byram, Cale Makar and J.T. Compher have been out with upper-body injuries but all three skated at the optional practice on Wednesday. They were also full participants in Tuesday's morning skate and could be available to return on Thursday, according to head coach Jared Bednar. Philipp Grubauer is expected to get the start in between the pipes.

INJURY UPDATE

Byram (upper body), Compher (upper body) and Makar (upper body) are all close to returning to the lineup, while Connor Timmins is out with an upper-body ailment. Pavel Francouz (lower body) and Erik Johnson (upper body) are both out long term with injuries.

SCOUTING THE WILD

Minnesota has been on a tear as of late, winning five straight contests and going 7-2-1 in its last 10 matchups. The squad is in second place in the West Division with 37 points (18-8-1) and leads the Avalanche (36 points) in the standings by just one point. On the road, the Wild holds an 8-5-1 record with a 2-2-1 mark over its last five outings away from home.
Through 27 games this campaign, Minnesota has been especially strong at even strength, tallying 64 markers when playing five-on-five hockey and ranking tied for third in the category. On the other hand, the club's power-play unit hasn't found its groove this year as it has notched just seven goals, which ranks 31st in the league.

(OPPOSING) PLAYER TO WATCH: MATS ZUCCARELLO

After missing the first 11 games of the campaign due to an upper-body injury, Mats Zuccarello has been a major part of the Wild's success since his return. The forward has registered 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 16 contests and is third in offensive production on the club. Since being inserted into the lineup, Minnesota sports a 12-3-1 record and Zuccarello has recorded at a least a point in 11 of those 12 wins.
The veteran is in his 11th NHL season and his second with the Wild, compiling 134 goals and 277 assists in 592 games. Versus the Avs, Zuccarello has notched 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 18 career meetings and had a goal and an assist in his lone contest against the club this season.

NUMBERS GAME

1:01

Colorado scored two of the fastest goals it has scored this season on Tuesday when Andre Burakovsky tallied 1:01 into the contest--the fastest goal to start a game this season--and Nathan MacKinnon found the back of the net at 1:01 in the final frame, the fastest goal to start the third period this year by the Avalanche.

8

The Avs are the only team in the NHL to score eight goals in more than one contest this season, finding the back of the cage eight times on Tuesday and on Jan. 15 versus the St. Louis Blues (8-0 win).

15

Colorado is 15-3-1 when scoring first this campaign, tied for the second-most wins in the league when lighting the lamp first and trailing only the Vegas Golden Knights (16). The club has tallied the first goal in four consecutive games.

NOTEBOOK

The Avalanche has won a season-best four consecutive games. Colorado is 6-1-1 in its last eight contests and 8-2-1 over its last 11 outings. The Avs are 5-1-1 on its current homestand and 10-4-1 in home games this season, tied for the fourth-most home wins in the NHL… Samuel Girard leads all Avalanche defenders with five goals, 16 assists and 21 points this year. He scored his fifth of the season in Colorado's last game, surpassing his previous career high in goals (four)… Nazem Kadri ranks third on the team in goals (nine) and points (24), while collecting six points (three goals, three assists) over the past two contests… The Avs have held their opponent to less than 30 shots in 17 consecutive games, a franchise best. Colorado is outshooting its opponent by an average of 9.3 shots per game this season, ranking first in the NHL. In the month of March, the Avs have outshot their opponent by an average of 15.6 shots per game, also topping the league in that span.