The Colorado Avalanche missed a possibility when Minnesota got here to city six weeks in the past, and so they know they cannot waste one other probability to trace down the Wild within the Central Division standings.
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Colorado is presently fourth within the division and holds the highest Western Convention wild-card slot getting into a Friday night time residence showdown with third-place Minnesota.
The Wild are coming off a 6-1 loss at Utah on Thursday night time, their second setback in a row, however they nonetheless have a two-point lead over the Avalanche and have performed one recreation fewer.
They’ve been outscored 9-1 since taking a 2-0 lead within the first interval towards the Detroit Pink Wings on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, Minnesota’s well being has change into a difficulty. Kirill Kaprizov stays out with a lower-body damage, and now Joel Eriksson Ek landed on injured reserve earlier this week as a consequence of a lower-body damage.
Regardless of his prolonged absence, Kaprizov is tied for the group lead with 52 factors and tops the membership with 23 objectives. Matt Boldy additionally has 52 factors , Marco Rossi has 50 factors and Mats Zuccarello is fourth on Minnesota with 36 factors .
Boldy had an help within the Thursday loss and is without doubt one of the Wild’s stars regardless of being simply 23. The 2019 first-round decide performed for Group USA within the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this month and completed with a purpose and two assists in 4 video games.
“He’s hard not to appreciate. As a guy who’s on this team, I think he lacks a little appreciation around the league, just how skilled he is, how big he is, how impressive he protects the puck,” stated teammate Brock Faber, who additionally performed for Group USA. “He’s going to be one of the best in the world, and he showed that. It’s a huge privilege to call him a teammate.”
Boldy will likely be a spotlight of Colorado, which is coming off a 5-1 residence win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. It was the primary recreation in practically two months for ahead Valeri Nichushkin, who had been out with a lower-body damage.
“Such a difference-maker,” stated teammate Nathan MacKinnon, who had two objectives and an help towards the Devils to regain the NHL’s point-scoring lead. “We’re tough to beat when he’s in the lineup. We’re just a completely different team. He helps the second line a lot. He pushes the pace. He’s a beast.”
Nichushkin has 11 objectives and 6 assists in 22 video games however was held with out a level in his return to motion. MacKinnon continues to set the tempo for the Avalanche with 90 factors . Cale Makar is second on the group in scoring with 66 factors , and Artturi Lehkonen has 24 objectives and 11 assists.
With Nichushkin again, Colorado is absolutely wholesome amongst its high six forwards. The Avalanche are thinner on protection, with Josh Manson out as a consequence of a lower-body damage. Manson was harm Feb. 4 at Vancouver and has missed the previous 5 video games.
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