Preview: Wild vs. Avalanche

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild continues its homestand with a game tonight against the Colorado Avalanche.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Thursday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Xcel Energy Center
• Tickets: Central Showdown
• Watch: Bally Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM
• Gamecenter: Wild vs. Avalanche

Wild Record: 36-29-9, 81 points, 6th in Central Division

Avalanche Record: 47-22-6, 100 points, 2nd in Central Division

2023-24 Series Record: 0-2-0

Wild vs. Avalanche All-Time Record: 59-51-13 (33-24-5 at Xcel Energy Center)

Last Time Out

The Wild defeated the Ottawa Senators, 3-2, on Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center (4/2). Forwards Mason Shaw (1-0=1), Matt Boldy (1-0=1) and Vinni Lettieri (1-0=1) all scored goals for Minnesota. G Marc-Andre Fleury made 30-of-32 saves in the win for a .938 SV%.

The Avalanche lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-1, on Monday (4/1) on the road. F Chris Wagner (1-0=1) was the lone goal-scorer for Colorado. He was assisted by F Artturi Lehkonen (0-1=1) and D Sean Walker (0-1=1). G Justus Annunen stopped 21-of-24 shots faced (.875 SV%).

Previously on Wild vs. Avalanche

The Wild fell to the Avs, 2-1, in overtime on March 8.

D Brock Faber (1-0=1) scored Minnesota's only goal. He was assisted by F Kirill Kaprizov (0-1=1) and F Joel Eriksson Ek (0-1=1). G Filip Gustavsson made 38-of-40 saves for a .950 SV%. 

F Nathan MacKinnon (0-2=2) paced Colorado with two assists. The Avs had goals by forwards Valeri Nichushkin (1-0=1) and Lehkonen (1-0=1). G Alexandar Georgiev saved 29-of-30 saves for a .967 SV% in the win.

Players to Watch

• Kaprizov leads Minnesota with 83 points (37-46=83), 37 goals and 46 assists this season and has 59 points (29-30=59) and a plus-19 rating in his last 41 games played
• Boldy is currently third on the Wild with 60 points (26-34=60) this season, needs three points to match his single-season career high (31-32=63, 2022-23 season)
• Faber leads all NHL rookies with 25:00 TOI per game and 139 blocked shots, is second with 34 assists, third with 41 points (7-34=41) and is sixth among all NHL skaters in TOI/game
• MacKinnon is T-1st in the NHL with 127 points (47-80=127), fourth in goals, third in assists and has 38 points (15-23=38) in his last 20 games
• D Cale Makar (19-62=81) is T-1st among NHL defensemen in goals, is second among league defensemen in points, is sixth in the league in assists and owns 21 points (6-15=21) in his last 20 games
• F Mikko Rantanen is sixth in the league with 100 points (39-61=100), T-12th in goals, seventh in assists and has collected 16 points (8-8=16) in his last 10 games

Recent Transactions

The Minnesota Wild reassigned F Liam Ohgren to Iowa (4/2). 

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

Connections

• Wild Assistant Coach Darby Hendrickson skated in 20 games with Colorado in 2003-04
• F Brandon Duhaime was selected by the Wild in the fourth-round (106th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft and skated in 193 career games across three seasons for Minnesota (2021-24), collecting 35 points (19-16=35)
• F Zach Parise is a native of Minneapolis and skated in 558 games over nine seasons (2012-21) for Minnesota, recording 400 points (199-201=400)

Fast Facts

• Minnesota has 59 wins and 131 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 tonight's matchup, check out the game notes below.