Gameday preview: Wild at Colorado
March 18, 2021 at 3:37AM
Hot Wild on road to visit Avs sizzling at home
Preview: The Wild (18-8-1, 37 points), second in the West Division, and third-place Avalanche (17-8-2, 36 points) meet for the fifth time this season. Each team has won two games in the season series and scored 12 goals. … Since returning from a two-week pause because of COVID-19, Minnesota is 11-2-1, averaging four goals per game. … Colorado is winding down a nine-game homestand that concludes Saturday against the Wild.
Players to watch: Wild rookie G Kaapo Kahkonen has a nine-game winning streak that includes two shutouts. G Cam Talbot has won his past two starts, 4-0 and 4-1 wins over Arizona. F Mats Zuccarello has a goal and five assists in his past four games. Rookie F Kirill Kaprizov is on a four-game point streak that includes four goals and two assists. … Avs stars Nathan MacKinnon (11 goals, 19 assists) and Gabriel Landeskog (15-15) each have 30 career points against the Wild, and Mikko Rantanen is 7-15-22 in 21 games vs. the Wild. G Philipp Grubauer has started the past five games for the Avalanche and is on a four-game win streak. He ranks second in the NHL in goals-against average (1.85).
Numbers: The Wild is 5-2-1 in its past eight road games, outscoring opponents 32-22. … In its homestand, Colorado has outscored opponents 25-16 and is 5-1-1.
Injuries: Wild W Marcus Foligno (leg) is out. F Marcus Johansson (upper body) and W Kyle Rau (upper body) are questionable. D Carson Soucy will serve a one-game suspension. … Colorado D Bowen Byram (upper body) is expected to return. D Cale Makar and F J.T. Compher (both upper body) are questionable. G Pavel Francouz (lower body) is on long-term injured reserve.
Randy Johnson
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After letting 135-footer bounce in early, Fleury steadied himself in 5-3 victory.
