Colorado Returns Home for Division Rivalry Game versus Minnesota

After picking up a 4-3 win at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, the Colorado Avalanche is returning home to Ball Arena on Saturday for a Division Rival matchup against the Minnesota Wild.
J.T. Compher scored two goals for the first time this year and the sixth time in his career against St. Louis on Thursday. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist as the Avalanche outshot the Blues 42-18 in the victory. The contest against Minnesota opens a two-game homestand for the team, which also hosts the Columbus Blues Jackets on Wednesday.
The Avs faced the Wild in preseason exhibition, but this will be the first of four matchups between the clubs this season.

Currently, Colorado owns a 3-4-0 record while Minnesota has posted a 5-2-0 mark so far this year. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. MT and can be watched on Altitude.

Avalanche vs. MINNESOTA WILD

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

COLORADO-MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson is from Bloomington, Minnesota, and played one season at the University of Minnesota in 2006-07… Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper was selected by the Wild in the sixth round, 160th overall, of the 2009 NHL Draft and was with Minnesota's organization through the 2016-17 campaign… Colorado forward Sampo Ranta played three seasons at the University of Minnesota (2018-2021)… Wild assistant coaches Brett McLean and Darby Hendrickson played for the Avalanche.

HISTORY

In the 2020-21 regular season, Colorado finished with a 5-2-1 record versus Minnesota, including a 3-1-0 mark at home.
The Avalanche owns a 55-45-14 all-time record against the Wild during the regular season, with a 30-23-4 home record and a 25-22-10 road record.

ROSTER REPORT

Head coach Jared Bednar said after Friday's practice that there is "a really good chance" that Samuel Girard will play against the Wild. Mikko Rantanen could also play after missing Thursday's game with a lower-body injury, but he did not practice on Friday. Jacob MacDonald competed as a forward in the outing in St. Louis and is also an option to fill that roll again against the Wild.

INJURY REPORT

Samuel Girard practiced with the team for the first time on Friday since he took a hit on Oct. 23 at the Tampa Bay Lightning. Blueliner Devon Toews has been approved for controlled contact and could make his season debut sometime next week. Mikko Rantenen (lower body) is out and considered day-to-day. Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) and goaltender Pavel Francouz (lower body) have started skating on their own but remain out week-to-week. Stefan Matteau will be out for weeks with a lower-body injury he suffered on Oct. 16.

SCOUTING THE WILD

The Wild (5-2-0) is wrapping up a three-game road trip in Denver on Saturday. The squad dropped its last game 4-1 against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
Minnesota is dealing with a number of players out because of illness and injury right now, and the latest is forward Jordan Greenway (lower body). He joins Rem Pitlick and Mats Zuccarello, who are both in COVID protocol. Alex Goligoski (upper body) and Dmitry Kulikov (lower body) did not play against the Kraken.
The Wild recalled forward Adam Beckman and defenseman Calen Addison from the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild on Friday. If he plays against the Avalanche, it would be Beckman's NHL debut.

(OPPOSING) PLAYER TO WATCH: Marcus Foligno

After opening the season on a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists), Marcus Foligno has recorded five points (two goals, three assists) in seven games this year, ranking third on the Wild. The 30-year-old forward also leads the team with 30 penalty minutes. In 22 career games against Colorado, Foligno has registered six goals and two assists.

NUMBERS GAME

14

Nathan MacKinnon led the Avalanche with 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in seven games against the Wild last season, the most ever by one player against Minnesota in a single season

23

Cale Makar is celebrating his 23rd birthday on Saturday.

100

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar notched his 100th career point in 108 games Thursday, against St. Louis. Only 9️ active players have hit the mark faster: Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Connor McDavid, Paul Stastny, Mathew Barzal, Elias Pettersson, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin.

NOTEBOOK

So far this year, J.T. Compher has four markers, the most on the team, and six points… Ryan Murray picked up his first two points in an Avalanche sweater on Thursday, collecting two assists… Gabriel Landeskog needs two assists to tie Paul Stastny (298) for 10th place in franchise history and four assists to reach 300… Nathan MacKinnon has an assist/point in all five of his games this season and leads the team in scoring with seven points (one goal, six assists)… This will be the first of four matchups for the season against the Wild, concluding the series in Minnesota April 29.