NHL Game Preview: Colorado Avalanche (17-1-5) vs. Minnesota Wild (13-7-4)

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Venue & Game Details

Location: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Puckdrop: 3:30 PM ET

Broadcast: ESPN+ / NHL Network

Competition: Central Division showdown

Team Recent Form

Colorado Avalanche:

First in Central Division.

10‑0‑0 in last 10 games, averaging 4.7 goals per game, allowing just 1.5.

Outscored opponents 47–15 in that span.

Minnesota Wild:

Third in Central Division.

8‑1‑1 in last 10 games, averaging 3.1 goals per game, allowing 1.6.

Beat Chicago 4‑3 in OT on Nov 26.

Injury Report

Avalanche: No major injuries listed; lineup intact.

Wild: No major injuries listed; lineup intact.

Player Matchups

Nathan MacKinnon (COL): 18 goals, 21 assists (39 pts). Elite scorer, centerpiece of Avalanche attack.

Cale Makar (COL): 9 goals, 20 assists (29 pts). Quarterback of the blue line, dynamic two‑way defenseman.

Kirill Kaprizov (MIN): 14 goals, 14 assists (28 pts). Wild’s offensive leader.

Matt Boldy (MIN): 9 goals, 6 assists in last 10 games. Secondary scoring threat.

Goaltending:

Scott Wedgewood (COL): 13‑1‑2, 2.09 GAA, .918 SV%.

Filip Gustavsson (MIN): 6‑7‑2, 2.79 GAA, .902 SV%.

Jesper Wallstedt (MIN): 6‑0‑2, 1.94 GAA, .935 SV%, 3 SO.

Series History

First meeting of the season.

All‑time head‑to‑head: 78 wins apiece, evenly matched historically.

Wild have won just over 50% of home games vs. Colorado.

Betting Trends

Avalanche: 17 wins in 22 games as favorites; 10‑2 when ML odds shorter than -183.

Wild: 8 upset wins in 14 games as underdogs (57.1%).

Avalanche games have gone over 6.5 goals in 9 of 23 contests.

Wild games have gone over 6.5 goals in 11 of 24 contests.

Summary

The Avalanche (17‑1‑5) enter as the NHL’s hottest team, riding a 10‑game win streak and averaging nearly 5 goals per game. The Wild (13‑7‑4) counter with Kaprizov and Boldy, plus Wallstedt’s stellar goaltending. Expect a tight Central Division battle, but Colorado’s depth and MacKinnon’s MVP‑level play make them favorites.

Game Odds

Colorado Avalanche       – 162    

Minnesota Wild               6

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, November 27, 2025