The Colorado Avalanche returned home for the first time since February 4th to take on the Minnesota Wild. Penalties and bad bounces became costly for the Avalanche in their loss to the Wild as they finished the second half of a back-to-back. Colorado definitely showed signs of fatigue later in the game (as well as the Wild’s goalie). But the Avalanche will have a day off on Friday for all the Olympians to rest and recover before the next contest.

View from the Mountaintop

The Avalanche started the game looking like they were going to hand it to the Wild despite the back-to-back. Colorado did a great job in the first half of the opening frame of applying pressure on the Wild. They outshot the Wild in the first 10 minutes of the game 10–1. But two penalties in the second half of the first by Josh Manson and Gabriel Landeskog, started swinging the momentum Minnesota’s direction.

Things really fell apart for the Avs in the second period. Cale Makar was called for a questionable slashing call early on. It took less than a minute for the Wild to convert on the power play as Joel Eriksson Ek buried the puck.

Six minutes later, Nathan MacKinnon, returning to the lineup after missing Wednesday, stole the puck and ran off with it. MacKinnon dropped it back to Martin Necas and set up the screen for Necas to hit the goal bar down.

In the last six minutes of the second, it really went south for the Avs. Landeskog incurred an elbowing penalty, then Valeri Nichushkin was hit with cross-checking 55 seconds later. The Avs set up to take the first face-off, and Brent Burns was called for a delay of game four seconds later. It would boil down to a 5-on-3 for over a minute and then a power play for the Wild. Once again, Eriksson Ek converted with a shot off Mackenzie Blackwood’s skate into the net.

The Avs finally got two more chances on the power play in the third but could not convert. Less than five minutes into the third, Minnesota scored on another redirected shot, this time off Sam Malinski’s skate. Mats Zuccarello got credit for the goal. Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson ended up leaving the game with a minute left after becoming ill, allowing Necas to score on the first shot after. Matt Boldy ended the game with two empty net goals for a final of 5–2.

Up Next

The Avs will battle the Chicago Blackhawks in another Division Rivalry Night on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT. Altitude Sports will broadcast the game.