Saturday Night Showdown

Colorado Avalanche (6-0, C1) @ Minnesota Wild (4-4, C3) 

7 p.m. MT | Grand Casino Arena | Watch: TNT, truTV, HBO Max | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM), Altitude Sports Radio App 

Round Two heads to Minnesota for Game Three as the Avalanche and Wild face off on Saturday.  

Game One: MIN 6, COL 9 

Game Two: MIN 2, COL 5

Game Two Win 

Nathan MacKinnon posted three points to help the Avalanche defeat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 in Game Two of Round Two at Ball Arena on Tuesday to take a 2-0 series lead. Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog, Nicolas Roy and Valeri Nichushkin all scored for Colorado, while Scott Wedgewood stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced. Colorado opened the scoring 2:51 into the game when Necas scored his first goal of the playoffs via a backhand shot from the slot off the rush after he and MacKinnon combined on a give-and-go defensive-zone exit. Kirill Kaprizov tied the game for Minnesota at 2:57 of the first period via a breakaway goal. The Avs took a 2-1 lead on the power play at 8:24 of the first period when Landeskog scored his third goal of the playoffs via a one-timer from the doorstep set up by MacKinnon’s feed. Roy doubled Colorado’s lead at 1:24 of the second period with his third goal of the playoffs via a shot from the high slot off the rush set up by Ross Colton’s pass. Colorado made it a 4-1 game on the power play at 13:18 of the third period when MacKinnon scored his fourth goal of the playoffs via a left-circle one-timer set up by Nazem Kadri’s cross-ice feed. Marcus Johansson put the Wild within two at 14:33 of the third period via a one-timer from the slot. The Avs took a 5-2 lead at 19:55 of the third period when Nichushkin scored his first goal of the playoffs via an empty-net tally.

Leading the Way

Nate the Great

MacKinnon is tied for fifth in the NHL in points (10), while ranking tied for seventh in goals (4) and tied for ninth in assists (6). 

All Hail Cale

Cale Makar is tied for first in goals (4) among NHL defensemen,

Toewser Laser

Among NHL blueliners, Devon Toews is tied for third in points (7) while ranking tied for fifth in assists (5) and tied for sixth in goals (2). 

Series History

The Avalanche and Wild have met in the playoffs on three previous occasions, all in the Round One, with Minnesota winning in 2003 and 2014 in seven games while Colorado was victorious in six contests in 2008. 

Making Plays Against Minnesota

MacKinnon has posted 16 points (4g/12a) in nine playoff games against the Wild, in addition to 70 points (27g/43a) in 55 regular-season contests. 

Makar has registered three points (2g/1a) in two playoff contests against Minnesota, along with 26 points (6g/20a) in 29 regular-season games. 

Necas has recorded five points (1g/4a) in two playoff games against the Wild, in addition to nine points (5g/4a) in 15 regular-season games. 

Scoring in the Twin Cities

Quinn Hughes is tied for the Wild lead in points (11) and assists (8) while ranking tied for second in goals (3). 

Kaprizov is tied for first on the Wild in assists (8) and points (11) while ranking tied for second in goals (3). 

Matt Boldy leads the Wild in goals (6) while ranking third in points (10) and tied for fourth in assists (4). 

A Numbers Game

4.50

Colorado's 4.50 goals per game on the road in the playoffs are tied for the most in the NHL.

39

MacKinnon’s 39 playoff goals since 2020-21 are the second most in the NHL. 

2.17

The Avalanche’s 2.17 goals against per game in the playoffs are the second fewest in the NHL. 

Quote That Left a Mark

“It should definitely get you up and excited. It’s gonna be a good test. [It’s a] great building and [it's] against a desperate team. It’s gonna be great.” 

-- Gabriel Landeskog on playing in Minnesota