Game Preview: Avalanche at Wild

COLORADO AVALANCHE (56-18-7) AT MINNESOTA WILD (52-22-7)
6:00 PM MT | XCEL ENERGY CENTERWATCH: ALTITUDELISTEN: 92.5 AM
The Colorado Avalanche take on the Minnesota Wild on Friday night for the regular-season finale before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on May 2. The Avalanche club is currently sporting a 56-18-7record. The puck drops tonight at 6 p.m. MT Xcel Energy Center.

Colorado looking to collect the last two points of the season to add to their 119 points to continue setting the franchise point record. Colorado tallied one more point last night at Ball Arena in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators.
Colorado totaled 170 goals at home this season, the second-most in Avalanche history (since 1995-96) and one shy of the record set by the 1995-96 club.

COLORADO-MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS

Colorado forward Nico Sturm was traded to the Avs in exchange for Tyson Jost at this season's trade deadline... 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

Colorado maintains a 57-45-15 all-time record against the Wild during the regular season, with a 32-23-4 home record and a 25-22-11 road record.
In their most recent matchup, the Avs fell to the Wild in an overtime score of 3-2 in Minnesota March 27.

ROSTER REPORT

Alex Newhook was a healthy scratch in Thursday night's game versus the Nashville Predators. Some players will not play tonight out of precaution for the playoffs.
AVALANCHE VS WILD
AVALANCHE ARTICLES
Game Recap: Avalanche Fall 5-4 to Preds in Shootout
Jack Johnson Nominated for Bill Masterton Trophy
Rantanen Returns
GAME EXTRAS
Avalanche 360
Avalanche Tickets

SCOUTING THE WILD

The Wild's blue line is back to full health tonight with the addition of Matt Dumba and Jared Spurgeon. Minnesota is 20-3-4 in 27 games heading into Friday night's regular-season finale against the Colorado Avalanche. The club is going into the playoffs with 111 points before the post season.

NUMBERS GAME

28
Cale Makar scored his 28th goal of the season. He is just one of five defensemen in the last 30 years to score 28 goals in a season, joining Brent Burns (29 in 2016-17), Mike Green (31 in 2008-09), Al MacInnis (28 in 1993-94) and Kevin Hatcher (34 in 1992-93). Makar's tally was his ninth of the season on the power play, ranked second among NHL blueliners and the most by an Avalanche defenseman since Derek Morris (also nine) in 2002-03.
11
The Avs are playing their 11th and final back-to-back set of the season and are now 7-3-1 in the first game when playing on consecutive nights.
119
The Avalanche earned a point to set a new franchise record for points in a season, reaching 119 to surpass the 2000-01 club, which previously held the record with 118.

NOTEBOOK

Artturi Lehkonen recorded his 19th goal of the season to set a new career best for goals in a season. He eclipses his previous best set in his rookie year with Montreal in 2016-17… Bowen Byram registered an assist and has recorded six points ((0G, 6A) since returning to the lineup. He has collected 16 points (5G, 12A) in 30 games this season, ranking second among rookie defensemen in points-per game (0.57)...