Preview: The Wild visit the new ‘State of Hockey’
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild play for first in the Central Division.
The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche are set for a monumental matchup to determine the top dog in the Central Division tonight at Ball Arena in Denver, CO. Can Colorado reclaim their divisional throne? Or will the Wild send the champs a message? The Avalanche have not lost to the Wild this season and won the last showdown 3-2.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado has their best look yet at taking first place in the Central with a victory this evening. Ball Arena should be roaring as much as it has since last year's playoff run. This is what it's all about late in the regular season. Two outstanding teams vying for divisional supremacy with few games left to do so. Can't we bust out the pompoms early?
The Avalanche could secure a season sweep of the Wild tonight, something Colorado hasn't achieved since the 2017-2018 season. All signs point to this being a fast-paced and high-octane matchup likely to be full of momentum swings. Hopefully, the Avalanche can fall back on their experience and roll with the emotional pendulum that comes with a playoff atmosphere. That's what we will get tonight. Regarding my headline, I’ll let Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar lay it out for you!
Cale Makar thinks Colorado is the State of Hockey #NHLOnTNT #mnwild pic.twitter.com/4Rccv63BLd— Minnesota Hockey (@MinnyHockey) October 12, 2022
Wednesday night rivalry. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/KtgUVcyiWu— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 29, 2023
Projected Lineup:
Valeri Nichushkin — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko RantanenAlex Newhook — J.T. Compher — Evan RodriguesDenis Malgin — Lars Eller — Matt NietoAndrew Cogliano — Darren Helm — Logan O'Connor
Devon Toews — Cale MakarSamuel Girard — Bowen ByramJack Johnson — Erik Johnson
Note: Colorado currently has four listed injured players. Gabe Landeskog and Pavel Francouz are on the IR, with Artturi Lehkonen and Josh Manson listed as 'OUT.'
Minnesota Wild
Minny is a well-rounded club and not one carried by elite performances from Karill Kaprisov, who has been out for some time. They are 7-1-2 in their last ten games and have gotten excellent goalkeeping as of late. Marc Andre Fleury has found the fountain of youth this season, winning eight of his last ten starts, but that feels unsustainable. Filip Gustavsson has also been good, winning six of his last ten starts. If the Wild steal games in the playoffs on the back of their netminding, they may prove a real threat in the west.
Watch on young Matt Boldy, who scored his first career hat trick against the Seattle Kraken in the Wilds' last contest. He's logged an assist against the Avalanche in each of their previous two meetings and is the player with which Bowen Byram dropped the mitts.
GOOD LORD MATT BOLDY pic.twitter.com/RaRqyr7XwE— sam (@jostycurls) February 16, 2023
Projected Lineup:
Marcus Foligno — Ryan Hartman — Mats ZuccarelloMarcus Johansson — Joel Eriksson Ek — Matthew BoldyBrandon Duhaime — Frederick Gaudreau — Oskar SundqvistMason Shaw — Connor Dewar — Ryan Reaves
Jacob Middleton — Jared SpurgeonJonas Brodin — Mathew DumbaJon Merrill — Alex Goligoski
Note: The Wild will be without their most dynamic performer, Kirill Kaprizov, who has been out since March 8 with a lower-body injury.
Goaltenders
Alexandar Georgiev will return to the net after getting a spell from Jonas Johansson against the Anaheim Ducks. Jo Jo looked good against the Ducks, but it's Georgiev's net in Colorado. He has made that abundantly clear as of late, swaying the opinion of any preseason naysayers.
Will it be Filip Gustavsson or Marc Andre Fleury in net for the Wild tonight? Either way, the Wild have been leaning on their two netminders lately. That's a bold strategy against an Avalanche team that has scored a powerplay goal in twelve straight games. My guess is the Flower will get the start.
Marc-Andre Fleury with 35 amazing saves tonight including this stunner! His 544th career win! #FlowerPower pic.twitter.com/fs4dkMZOAq— Allan Walsh (@walsha) March 28, 2023
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