Wild-Colorado game preview
October 27, 2018 at 12:15AM
Comforts of home first, then rigors of travel
Preview: This is the Wild's last home game until Nov. 13; the team will rattle off seven road games after playing host to the Avalanche. The team has yet to lose in regulation on home ice, going 4-0-2 at Xcel Energy Center. Colorado is among the most productive teams in the NHL. The Avs played host to Ottawa on Friday before traveling to Minnesota.
Players to watch: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is the NHL's reigning first star of the week after scoring six goals last week. Only three NHLers had more goals than Colorado C Nathan MacKinnon's eight. W Mikko Rantanen entered Friday tied for first in points with 16.
Numbers: Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk has stopped 207 of 219 shots in his past six games. Colorado's top line of Landeskog, MacKinnon and Rantanen combined for 43 points and 20 goals through the team's first 10 games. The Avalanche went 3-8 in the second game of a back-to-back last season.
Injuries: Wild F Matt Hendricks (lower body) is out. Avalanche forward J.T. Compher (head) and D Conor Timmins (concussion-like symptoms) are also out.
Sarah McLellan
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Problems that might have led to a loss in the past are merely complications that the team is overcoming this season, as was true again Friday against Tampa Bay.
