Game preview: Colorado Avalanche chase returns against injured Minnesota Wild

It’s another Avalanche game day!

After dropping one in Chicago and dropping a point streak in the process, the Avalanche are back in action tonight for a visit to the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have been one of the most consistent teams in the NHL this season, but have been somewhat up and down since the start of December due to injuries. Despite ongoing injury issues, they are currently on a four-game winning streak, so the Avs will have to show up to earn a win tonight.

Let’s get into the preview.

Colorado avalanche

With the eight-game point streak ending last night, the Avalanche have an opportunity to bounce back quickly on the second night of a back-to-back with a win against one of the top teams in the NHL so far this season.

The Avs simply did not play well against the Blackhawks. Despite the strong excess of Chicago, Colorado made too many mistakes both defensively and with the puck. Combine those mistakes with a paltry two shots combined between Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen, and a snoozer of a contest against a vastly inferior opponent is the result.

“I felt like we had a lot of chances (last night), it just seemed at times like our execution wasn’t there,” Makar said. “Whether it was through the neutral zone or the D-zone, also just letting them get their (blue) line easy a few times, resulting in the goals.”

Minnesota won’t be an easy out, and the Avs will need their superstar trio to lead the way against the Wild. They have been one of the NHL’s best defensive teams this season, allowing just 2.66 goals against per game this season, but have struggled with their special teams, specifically their PK, which is operating at just under 71% right now.

This puts the Avs stars in a good position to dominate after a slump in performance yesterday. Colorado can’t afford their top players to be passengers tonight. The status of Jonathan Drouin remains unknown tonight after he missed last night’s contest for maintenance purposes. So far he is doubtful. If he can’t go, Calvin De Haan would likely play again tonight and the Avs would go 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

MacKenzie Blackwood gets the start in net for the Avalanche tonight. Blackwood has been fantastic since joining the club, boasting a 7-1-1 record along with a 1.69 GAA and a .938 save percentage. The Avs will need another solid effort from Blackwood tonight as Minnesota has reheated after a bit of a December slump. Trent Miner will serve as backup.

Expected lineup:

Jonathan Drouin (27) – Nathan MacKinnon (29) – Mikko Rantanen (96)
Ross Colton (20) – Casey Mittelstadt (37) – Artturi Lehkonen (62)
Joel Kiviranta (94) – Parker Kelly (17) – Logan O’Connor (25)
Tye Felhaber (48) – Juuso Parssinen (16) – Jere Innala (22)

Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)
Samuel Girard (49) – Josh Manson (42)
Keaton Middleton (67) – Sam Malinski (70)

MacKenzie Blackwood (39)

Minnesota Wild

After opening the year as one of the NHL’s hottest teams, followed by a slight dip in December, the Wild have found their stride again, winning their last four contests heading into tonight’s matchup. They’ve done it with guys coming in and out of the lineup since the Christmas break, but more importantly, they’ve done it without their superstar winger, Kirill Kaprizov, who hasn’t played since December 23rd.

Coming into tonight, Minnesota’s injury problems are worsening, especially in the back end. Brock Faber and Jonas Brodin, who have served as the Wild’s top defensive pairing, are both out for tonight’s contest after suffering injuries in Minnesota’s previous game. This unit was already operating without captain Jared Spurgeon, so Minnesota’s defensive corps is in a world of hurt right now.

Travis Dermott and David Jiricek will retire into the lineup in their spots. Zach Bogosian and Jake Middleton (brother of Avs defenseman Keaton Middleton) will skate on the top pair for the Wild.

Things don’t get much better online.

Filip Gustavsson will be between the pipes for Minnesota, but we will be on EBUG duty in Minnesota tonight. Marc-Andre Fleury, who is dealing with an illness, did not skate this morning. The Wild proactively signed AHL goaltender Dylan Ferguson for a scenario like this, but he got hurt last night. Fleury will either have to back up Gustavsson while the weather is out or an EBUG will be on the Minnesota bench.

As for Gustavsson, he has been one of the best goaltenders in the NHL for the Wild this season in a starter’s role. Sitting at 18-6-3, with a 2.31 GAA and a .922 save percentage, Gustavsson has been crucial to the success Minnesota has seen so far this season.

Expected lineup:

Matt Boldy (12) – Marco Rossi (23) – Mats Zuccarello (36)
Marcus Johansson (90) – Joel Eriksson Ek (14) – Ryan Hartman (38)
Marcus Foligno (17) – Frederick Gaudreau (89) – Yakov Trenin (13)
Devin Shore (19) – Marat Khusnutdinov (22) – Ben Jones (39)

Jacob Middleton (5) – Zach Bogosian (24)
Jon Merrill (4) – Declan Chisholm (47)
Travis Dermott (44) – David Jiricek (10)

Filip Gustavsson (32)