Game One Preview: Wild at Avalanche

DENVER, Colo. -- The Minnesota Wild is entering the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight for the first time since 2015, this time facing off against the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche enter the series with home-ice advantage, and the two teams will meet tonight for the first game of the Second Round in Denver.

The Wild will take on the Avs without defenseman Jonas Brodin, who did not travel with the team to Colorado yesterday. Joel Eriksson Ek is also questionable for tonight's game after the forward had a tough crash into the boards in Game 6 against the Stars.

Info for Today's Game:

• When: Sunday, May 3rd at 8:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Ball Arena (Denver, Colorado)
• Stream: TNT/truTV/MAX
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: R2G1: Wild at Avs

Series Record: 0-0

Wild Round 1 Record: 4-2

Avalanche Round 1 Record: 4-0

2025-26 Series Record: 2-1-1

All-Time Wild vs. Avs Regular Season Record: 63-56-14 (28-29-9 at Colorado)

All-Time Wild vs. Avs Playoff Record: 10- 10 (5-6 at Colorado)

This Season on Wild vs. Avalanche

Minnesota went 2-1-1 against Colorado. Minnesota won the series-opening game, 3-2, in shootout at Grand Casino Arena (11/28) and the third contest, 5-2, at Ball Arena (2/26), while Colorado earned a 5-1 win in St. Paul in the second meeting (12/21) and a 3-2 shootout win in the final meeting in Colorado (3/8).

LW Kirill Kaprizov led Minnesota with six points (3-3=6) in the series. LW Matt Boldy had four points (2-2=4). C Ryan Hartman (1-2=3) and C Joel Eriksson Ek (2-1=3) had three points each. G Jesper Wallstedt went 1-1-1 with a 2.85 GAA and a .925 SV% in four games (three starts). G Filip Gustavsson saved 44-of-45 shots faced to earn the win in the third game before exiting with illness late in the third period.

C Nathan MacKinnon led the Avalanche with seven points (4-3=7) in the season series. D Cale Makar (1-3=4) and LW Gabriel Landeskog (1-3=4) had four points each. G Scott Wedgewood went 1-0-1 with a 1.87 GAA and a .945 SV% in his two starts. G Mackenzie Blackwood went 1-1- 0 with a 2.05 GAA and a .937 SV% in his two starts.

Wild Regular Season Leaders

• RW Vladimir Tarasenko leads Minnesota with 35 points (15-20=35) in 50 career games against Colorado
• RW Mats Zuccarello owns 34 points (7-27=34) in 38 matches
• Kaprizov has 26 points (15-11=25) in 22 games
• Hartman has 21 points (10-11=21) in 42 games

Avalanche Regular Season Leaders

• MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 70 points (27-43=70) in 55 career games against Minnesota
• Landeskog owns 46 points (21-25=46) in 52 games
• D Brent Burns has 29 points (5-17=29) in 49 games
• Makar has 26 points (6-20=26) in 29 games

Around the League

Round 1

Tampa Bay (D2) vs. Montreal (D3): series tied 3-3

Round 2

Vegas (D1) vs. Anaheim (D3): Game 1 - May 4

Carolina (D1) vs. Philadelphia (D3): CAR leads 1-0

On the Mend

Jonas Brodin: lower-body (one game missed)

Joel Eriksson Ek: questionable

Full Injury Report

View all transactions

Connections

• LW Yakov Trenin recorded three points (2-1=3) in 16 games with the Avalanche in 2023-24
• C Nico Sturm collected three assists in 21 games with Colorado during the 2021-22 season and helped the Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup with two assists in 13 games during the team’s 2022 postseason run
• Burns was selected by Minnesota in the first round (20th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft and collected 183 points (55-128=183) and 325 PIM in 453 games with the Wild across seven seasons (2003-11)
• C Brock Nelson is from Warroad
• D Sam Malinski is from Lakeville

Fast Facts

• Minnesota has won four of its last seven meetings with Colorado, including two shootout victories
• The Wild’s 35 all-time home wins over Colorado is its most against any single opponent, while its 140 overall points and 63 overall wins ranks second
• Minnesota’s 28 all-time wins in Denver is the team’s second-highest road mark against a single opponent
• Minnesota defeated Colorado in the First Round of the 2003 and 2014 playoffs, both 4-3
• Colorado defeated Minnesota 4-2 in 2008 First Round

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