Wild Game Day number 26 Wild Record (14-7-4 32 pts) Road Record (4-4-3)
Opponent: Colorado Avalanche (11-15-1 23 pts) Home Record (3-6-1)
Site: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Time: 8:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 10/9 Avalanche 0 @ Wild 5 10/11 Wild 3 @ Avalanche 0 2/7 Avalanche 0 @ Wild 1 2/28 Wild 3 @ Avalanche 1 3/8 Avalanche 3 @ Wild 2
Last Result: 10/8 Wild 5 @ Avalanche 4 12/5 Avalanche 0 @ Wild 3
The Wild travel to Denver tonight as they open a three game road trip beginning with the back end of the home and home with the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are usually a very good home team but this season has been a struggle in Denver as they have just 3 wins thus far on home ice. They have only played 10 home games so far, a trend that will be reversing itself as they will play 7 of their 11 remaining games in December at home, starting this evening.
The Avalanche will be ready to exact some revenge on the Wild as they look to get back into playoff contention. Semyon Varlamov played fantastic in the loss on Saturday and will again be in net tonight. Matt Duchene was the topic of trade speculation after a slow start, but has heated up with 13 goals and 8 assists in the last 16 games. Nathan MacKinnon has been held without a point in the last four games after going a stretch of 17 games where he had not been held off the scoresheet in back to back games. He had 8 goals and 10 assists over those 17 games.
The Wild look to continue the defensive zone dominance having yielded just one goal in their last three games while controlling the puck possession game. They have gotten back to their strength of strong puck support, mobile defense getting the puck moved quickly out of the defensive zone and a strong forecheck. The game on Saturday may well have been their best 60 minute effort, yet the outcome was not secured until Jason Pominville sealed it with an empty net goal late.
Darcy Kuemper will be in net tonight and Niklas Backstrom will serve as the backup. Devan Dubnyk's groin injury is not believed to be severe and is expected to be with the team in Arizona on Friday. Mike Yeo has said that he will not put Dubnyk's long term health at risk by letting him play before he is 100%. Kuemper played well on Saturday and also in his last start against Dallas so this should be a good spot to see how he responds in consecutive games.
Three for three in December so far, a month that has historically been trouble for the Wild, so no time for a let up as 2 points are on the line.
Let's Play Hockey!