Rapid Recap: Wild 3, Avalanche 1

The Colorado Avalanche fell 3-1 to the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Monday in a preseason outing. It was the second straight exhibition outing between the clubs after the Avs won 6-4 on Thursday in Denver.
After a scoreless first period, Minnesota tallied early and late in the second stanza with Jared Spurgeon scoring 14 seconds into the frame and Kirill Kaprizov finding the back of the net in the final minute of the period.
Defenseman Jonas Brodin extended the Wild's lead 4:24 into the third frame and Alex Newhook netted Colorado's only goal, which was assisted by Bowen Byram and Shane Bowers, at 13:17 of the stanza.
Goaltender Darcy Kuemper played the entire outing for the Avalanche and made 29-of-32 saves.

Colorado concludes the preseason back-to-back set against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at Ball Arena.

THE GOALS

1st Period
No Scoring
2nd Period
0:14 MIN (0-1) - Jared Spurgeon scored the first goal of the game after a turnover. Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek assisted on the play.
19:09 MIN (0-2) - After Minnesota goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen made a big stop, Kirill Kaprizov scored with a tap-in goal on an odd-man rush.
3rd Period
4:24 MIN (0-3) - Jonas Brodin scored stick-side through a screen. Kirill Kaprizov assisted on the goal to pick up his third point on the night.
13:17 COL (1-3) - Bowen Byram sent the puck toward the net and Alex Newhook scored his first of the preseason with a tip at the far post. Shane Bowers also assisted on the play.
Final:Wild - 3 | Avalanche - 1

POWER PLAYS

Colorado: 0 for 3
Minnesota: 0 for 2

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado:Darcy Kuemper began the game in net and stopped 29-of-32 shots.
Minnesota: Kaapo Kahkonen was between the pipes and made 15 saves.

NOTEBOOK

Four players skated in their first games of this preseason: forwards Stefan Matteau and Jean-Luc Foudy and defensemen Roland McKeown and Ryan Murray… Jean-Luc Foudy competed in his first-ever NHL preseason game… It was the second of two preseason outings between Colorado and Minnesota. The teams met at Ball Arena in exhibition play on Thursday and the Avalanche earned a 6-4 win… J.T. Compher, Kurtis MacDermid and Murray served as the alternate captains in the contest.

ROSTER REPORT

Forward Oskar Olausson is the only member of the Avalanche to play in each of the team's three exhibition contests so far. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper was between the pipes for the second time this preseason.

INJURY REPORT

Defenseman Devon Toews (upper body) is anticipated to miss the beginning of the year following offseason surgery. Cale Makar has been practicing in a red, non-contact jersey since the start of training camp though he is expected to be ready for the start of the campaign.

UP NEXT

The Avalanche returns home to host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at Ball Arena to finish a back-to-back preseason set.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on start of the game
Forwards
9 Dylan Sikura - 37 J.T. Compher - 93 Jean-Luc Foudy
15 Shane Bowers - 18 Alex Newhook - 27 Oskar Olausson
63 Andreas Wingerli - 40 Artem Anisimov - 11 Mikhail Maltsev
22 Stefan Matteau - 41 Gabriel Fontaine - 44 Kiefer Sherwood
Defensemen
4 Bowen Byram - 72 Justin Barron
28 Ryan Murray - 10 Roland McKeown
56 Kurtis MacDermid - 88 Andreas Englund
Goaltenders
35 Darcy Kuemper
60 Justus Annunen