GDT: Game 65 - Wild @ Avs - 8PM Central / 4AM Finland - FSN

[Bazeek]

Zucker - Staal - Granlund
Parise - Koivu - Coyle
Niederreiter - Eriksson-Ek - Ennis
Foligno - Cullen - Winnik

Suter - Spurgeon
Brodin - Dumba
Seeler - Prosser

Stalock




Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Jost - Kerfoot - Wilson
Comeau - Soderberg - Nieto
Compher - Toninato - Bourque

Barrie - Zadorov
Girard - Nemeth
Siemens - Lindholm

Varlamov

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The Opponent

The Avalanche is coming off a decisive win against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night, still very much in the playoff race after taking two points in a must-win game.

Forward Nathan MacKinnon leads the team in nearly every statistical category, including 71 points (29-42=71) despite missing eight games. One of those goals and two assists came against Minnesota this season.

Goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and Jonathan Bernier have split the action almost evenly for Colorado; Bernier has started 29 games while Varlamov has started 34, including Wednesday against Calgary.

Devan Dubnyk is expected to start in net against the Avalanche after Alex Stalock got the nod Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes. Dubnyk is 16-9-1 in his career against Colorado, with four of his wins coming from shutouts -- his most victories and shutouts against any NHL team.

The Wild and Avalanche have split the 2017-18 campaign so far, with each team winning in front of its home crowd. After Thursday's games, Colorado sits one point outside of the Western Conference's second and final wild card spot, while Minnesota remains third in the Central Division (two points ahead of Dallas).

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Chalk last night up to bad goaltending. Win this one.

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[Lapa]

Lets defeat them!

 

[W75]

I'd like to see some good ol' 6-0 butt spanking again.

 

[Engebretson]

 

[57special]

I'm happy to win w/o seeing Avs players hairy butts being spanked.

As The Sacred Cows sang in an episode of the classic TV show, Get Smart. "Kill, Kill, Kill. Thrill, Thrill, Thrill."

 

[Digitalbooya]

I'd like to see Kunin in.

 

[Engebretson]

I'd like to see Kunin in.

Russo had speculated that he wasn't in last night because they didn't want to mess with the lineup, but I imagine after the result from last night that Bruce is thinking differently about tonight's game.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Do better.

 

[Wild in KC]

Do better.

Yes. Do MUCH better.

 

[57special]

I'd like to see Kunin in.

shocking!

 

[Bazeek]

Curious to see how Kunin looks tonight, assuming he's playing. He didn't exactly light up the AHL in his time there this year, though I understand they may have had him working on other parts of his game.

The Avs are without Johnson but still have a dangerous group of forwards. Scoring first and early could be more important than usual tonight, especially since we played last night.

 

[Digitalbooya]

shocking!

I know I know, hot take!

 

[TaLoN]

Go Wild!

 

[Wabit]

Bah, I might not get tonight's game. Bucks are on FS and Big 10 women's hoops is on the alt channel.

 

[NHL1674]

 

[Lapa]

I hope I woke up at 4 AM for a good reason.

Go team.

 

[Wabit]

So Kunin in and Ennis in the pressbox? Olofsson in and Prosser in the pressbox?

 

[57special]

No forecheck for the Wild so far. Don't really understand their defensive zone coverage, either, unless it's running around like headless chickens, in which case they're doing fine.

 

[Bazeek]

Well, 1-0 Avs. We'll see if they have any push-back.

 

[NHL1674]

Now let's not create a losing streak here, guys.

 

[Lapa]

Oh my f***ing god.

 

[Bazeek]

Nope, it's gonna be one of those games.

 

[Lapa]

I need coffee.. So much coffee..

 

[Wild11MN]

Did they just say MacKinnon has 52 points in 30 home games this year?

 

[NHL1674]