Game Two Preview: Wild at Avalanche

DENVER, Colo. -- The Minnesota Wild takes the ice at Ball Arena once again tonight, hoping for a different outcome than what the team got on Sunday night, when the Avalanche defeated the Wild 9-6. The 15 goals scored in the game tied for fifth-most all-time goals scored in a Stanley Cup Playoff game.

Tonight, the Wild faces off against the Avs again, needing to refocus the team's defensive play and dig deep to secure the win against Colorado.

Info for Today's Game:

• When: Tuesday, May 5th at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Ball Arena (Denver, Colorado)
• Stream: ESPN
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: R2G2: Wild at Avs

Series Record: 0-1

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: 10-11 (5-7 at Colorado)

The Series So Far

The Avalanche won Game 1, 9-6, in Denver (5/3).

D Quinn Hughes led the Wild with three points (1-2=3). LW Marcus Johansson, C Ryan Hartman, RW Vladimir Tarasenko, LW Marcus Foligno and RW Mats Zuccarello also scored goals for Minnesota. G Jesper Wallstedt stopped 34-of-42 shots faced for the Wild.

D Devon Toews led Colorado with four points (1-3=4). C Nathan MacKinnon (1-2=3), D Cale Makar (2-1=3), and C Martin Necas (0-3=3) each posted three-point efforts. G Scott Wedgewood saved 30-of-36 shots faced to earn the victory for the Avalanche.

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 2

Buffalo (D1) vs. Montreal (D3): Game 1 May 6

Vegas (D1) vs. Anaheim (D3): VGK leads 1-0

Carolina (D1) vs. Philadelphia (D3): CAR leads 2-0

On the Mend

Jonas Brodin: lower-body (two games missed)

Joel Eriksson Ek: lower-body (one game missed)

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.