Marc-Andre Fleury gets the call in goal as Wild try to ignite offense against Avalanche

After vying for the same playoff spot for weeks, the Wild and Avalanche will finally meet for a head-to-head battle that can easily be hyped as the most important matchup on the Wild's schedule.

At least until the next critical test comes along.

"I feel like we're going to have many biggest games of the year until the end of the season," goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. "This is the first one of them."

This clash on Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center has the chance to start the Wild down a road to redemption, with all four of their remaining opponents on this homestand division or conference rivals that have already defeated the Wild or are contending with them in the West's playoff race.

Closest of all those foes is Colorado, the defending Stanley Cup champions who are engaged with the Wild in a game of musical chairs in the standings.

"It'll be a great challenge, for sure," said Fleury, who didn't play when the Wild were walloped 6-3 by the Avalanche on Oct. 17 but has been given the nod in net for the rematch.

The veteran netminder returns after Filip Gustavsson stopped all but three of the 63 shots he faced over the past two games but won only once, the Wild following up a 3-2 shootout victory against the Devils on Saturday with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Panthers on Monday.

"We're aware maybe we're not scoring as much, but we all believe it's going to turn at some point," Fleury said. "As goalies, I think we have enough to worry about. That's something we don't have to think too much [about]. Just let the players figure it out and try to keep the game close and have a chance to get some points."

Since their wobbly 3-6-1 stretch began, the Wild have posted a league-low seven goals at 5-on-5. They've been outscored 33-19 with nearly 75% of that production coming from Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy. Against Florida, the Wild were minus a forward for most of the second period and all of the third after Marcus Foligno left injured. He blocked a shot with his left knee and won't suit up vs. Colorado.

"I need to definitely step up and make sure that on the defensive end … I'm not letting up goals when I'm on the ice," Kaprizov said through an interpreter. "And when I am on the ice to make sure that we're scoring, I'm making plays and helping my teammates score and find the back of the net and just all around continue to improve my game."

A lack of goals isn't a new problem for the Wild, but a shortage in February can be much more damaging than one in November.

"All of us need to find a way to fight through and get a dirty goal, find a way to score, make an uneasy play, dig deep," Kaprizov said. "I think if all of us can do that, if we find our game, get back to the basics, get back to playing the way we play, we can find a way to win."