Avalanche Game 66 at Minnesota Wild: 2nd of Back-to-Back; Lines, Notes & How To Watch

The Colorado Avalanche face off against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center, the second game of a back-to-back. The puck drops at 6:08 p.m. MT.

Nathan MacKinnon earned his 1,000th career point in a sloppy 3-0 win vs the Blackhawks and notched another from an assist on Martin Necas’ goal. The victory was the Avs’ sixth in a row — all at home.

Read More: MacKinnon Makes NHL History with 1,000th Career Point

“We came out of the break slow and then went six in a row. So two on the road here. We’re going to get in pretty late tonight, so we’ll have to grind one out, and hopefully get another one in Calgary,” MacKinnon said.

Scott Wedgewood played one of his best games with the Avalanche stopping 20 shots to earn the shutout which increased head coach Jared Bednar’s confidence in him.

“He was fantastic. That’s two really good games from Wedgewood now, right? I loved his first handful of games. He looked like a seasoned veteran starter — he was unbeatable … and that’s what we need,” Bednar said. “We got a goalie that can win every single night for us, or giving us a chance to win every single night, and it gives you a better opportunity to win on nights like this when you’re not perfect with the puck.”

Read More: Good & Bad: Wedgewood Shines to Cap off Perfect Avalanche Homestand

Wedgewood made highlight reel saves and the crowd at Ball Arena showed its support by chanting “Wedgie” a few times during the game.

“It’s awesome, honestly. With the social media stuff and taken to just being an outgoing personality, engaging with them, I think it’s hopefully that and play, obviously what they probably see more of,” Wedgewood said. “But it’s been fun to be embraced here. Blacky (Mackenzie Blackwood) and I since we’ve come in, they’ve been nothing but great and supportive behind us. And I haven’t really had that since the last game here and then probably all the way back to World Juniors in 2012 since I’ve heard a crowd like that. So, I appreciate it and it’s fun to be here playing for him.”

Mackenzie Blackwood is the expected starter for the Avs and has played all three games against the Wild. They won two and lost one but he only allowed a total of six goals in the three matchups.

Joel Kiviranta scored an empty-netter on Monday night and has three goals in the last three games.

Artturi Lehkonen scored the first goal against the Hawks and had seven points in the six-game homestand. Ironically enough, the only game he was held scoreless was the 5-2 win over the Wild on Feb. 28.

The Avs got a boost from trade deadline moves that brought Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle to the team. Morale and energy have been high and the impact of the new players has been reflected in the results.

“Nelson, Coyle, and EJ (Erik Johnson) now joining the group, some of their strengths are on the penalty kill. We want to make sure we got all kinds of options. And it really helps to have those centermen, like Jack’s (Drury) a really good draw guy on left and now we’ve got Coyle on the right. And one of Coyle’s strengths is the 4-on-3 and 5-on-3,” Bednar said.

The Avs have a game in hand from the Wild and sit ahead of them in the No. 3 spot of the Central Division with 80 points. Wild elite forward Kirill Kaprizov has missed 14 straight games with a lower-body injury and there is no timeline for his return. Matt Boldy leads the team with 54 points in 64 games, while second in line is Kaprizov with 52 in just 37 games.

Miles Wood and Jimmy Vesey played against the Hawks but Bednar said he will cycle players in and out with the team’s added depth. Expect Parker Kelly and Logan O’Connor back in against the division rivals on Tuesday night.

Read More: 10 Observations: 1,000 Career NHL Points — Not Once, But Twice (+)

Season Series

• Jan. 9 at Minnesota Wild (W, 6-1)
• Jan. 20 vs Minnesota Wild (L, 3-1)
• Feb. 28 vs Minnesota Wild (W, 5-2)
• March 11 at Minnesota Wild

Avalanche Injuries

• Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Jonathan Drouin — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta – Charlie Coyle — Ross Colton
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Ryan Lindgren — Josh Manson
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Projected Starters (subject to change)

• Not confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
• Expected: Filip Gustavsson (MIN)

Upcoming Milestones

• Mackenzie Blackwood — needs 1 win for 100
• Logan O’Connor — needs 3 points for 100
• Martin Necas — needs 4 assists for 200
• Brock Nelson — needs 5 goals for 300, 10 assists for 300
• Jonathan Drouin — needs 4 games for 600

How to Watch

• TV: Altitude TV
• Radio: 92.5 FM