Preview: Wild at Avalanche

DENVER, Colo. -- The Minnesota Wild heads to the Mile High City today to challenge the Colorado Avalanche. The Wild is coming off of a tough loss in Utah last night, after the Utah Hockey Club defeated Minnesota 6-1. Tonight, the Wild will hit the ice again, hoping to claim victory over Colorado.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Friday, February 28th at 8:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Ball Arena (Denver, Colorado)
• Watch: FanDuel Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM
• Gamecenter: Wild at Avalanche

Wild Record: 34-21-4, 72 points, 3rd in Central Division

Avalanche Record: 34-24-2, 70 points, 4th in Central Division

2024-25 Series Record: 1-1-0

All-Time Wild Record: 60-54-13 (27-28-8 at Colorado)

This Season on Wild vs. Avs

Colorado won the series-opening game, 6-1, at Xcel Energy Center (1/9), before Minnesota won the second game, 3-1, at Ball Arena (1/20).

C Freddy Gaudreau (0-2=2), D Jake Middleton (1-1=2), LW Liam Öhgren (0- 2=2) and C Yakov Trenin (1-1=2) each lead the Wild with two points against the Avalanche this season. G Filip Gustavsson stopped 21-of-27 shots faced for the Wild in the first game. G Marc-André Fleury saved 21-of-22 shots faced to earn the win in the second game.

C Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado with three points (2-1=3). LW Jonathan Drouin (0-2=2), D Josh Manson (0-2=2) and RW Logan O’Connor (1-1=2) have each posted two points for the Avalanche. G Mackenzie Blackwood is 1-1-0 with a 2.06 GAA and a .922 SV% in starting both games for Colorado

Last Time Out

Minnesota was defeated by the Utah Hockey Club last night, falling 6-1. Gaudreau was the lone goal-scorer for Minnesota.

Wild Leaders Against Avs

• RW Mats Zuccarello leads Minnesota with 30 points (5- 25=30) in 32 career matches against Colorado
• LW Kirill Kaprizov (12- 8=20, in 18 games) and D Jared Spurgeon (5-15=20, in 59 games) each have 20 points
• C Ryan Hartman owns 18 points (9-9=18) in 37 contests

Avalanche Leaders Against Wild

• MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 62 points (23- 39=62) in 49 career games against Minnesota
• D Cale Makar has 21 points (5-16=21) in 23 games
• D Samuel Girard owns 18 points (1-17=18) in 30 contests
• D Devon Toews has 13 points (2-11=13) in 19 games

To view recent transactions, visit wild.com/transactions.

On the Mend

Joel Eriksson Ek: lower-body injury (two game missed)

Kirill Kaprizov: lower-body injury (nine games missed)

Connections

• Trenin recorded three points (2-1=3) in 16 games with the Avalanche last season
• C Casey Mittelstadt is from Eden Prairie and recorded 30 points (11-19=30) in 34 games as a freshman at the University of Minnesota
• D Sam Malinski is from Lakeville
• Colorado D Keaton Middleton is the younger brother of Wild D Jake Middleton

Fast Facts

• Minnesota has 60 wins and 133 points against Colorado all-time, second-most against any franchise
• Minnesota defeated Colorado in seven games in the 2003 First Round and the 2014 First Round
• The Avalanche won the 2008 First Round series in six games

For more information on today's matchup, check out the game notes below.