Without Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota played a smart, poised and gutsy game, pulling away in the third for a 3-1 victory at Ball Arena.

NHL Game recap for the Minnesota Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Colorado Avalanche game on January 20, 2025. Follow every play as it happens throughout the NHL season on CBS Sports and the CBS Sports app.

The Minnesota Wild hosted the Colorado Avalanche for their first season meeting on Thursday evening, Jan. 9. The Wild were still without Kirill Kaprizov, Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon, and Jakub Lauko.

Some of the issues that looked fixed two days ago in a decisive win against the Dallas Stars were again troubling for the Colorado Avalanche in a loss to the Minnesota Wild.

After a bad loss to Nashville on Saturday, the Wild bounced back with a smart, structured game plan against the rival Avalanche.

The game was tied entering the third period but Trenin gave the Wild a 2-1 lead with a wrister in the slot that beat Mackenzie Blackwood at 2:08.

Yakov Trenin and Brock Faber scored goals 1:35 apart early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 in Denver on Monday.

The Colorado Avalanche (28-18-1) continue their homestand against the Minnesota Wild (27-15-4) in another matinee matchup at Ball Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 1:08 p.m. MT. READ MORE: How Will Jared Bednar Spend His Time During 4 Nations?

Mackenzie Blackwood’s third regulation loss since joining the Avalanche was the first game he allowed more than two goals. Despite making 24 saves on 28 shots, Colorado failed to maintain a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

For Mackenzie Blackwood, boring is better. Blackwood is one of the best athletes in the NHL, regardless of position. His athleticism allows him to make jaw-dropping, how-did-he-get-that-one saves. His path from prospect to potential Vezina Trophy candidate was non-linear,

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups.