It's the first time the Colorado Avalanche will face off against the Minnesota Wild this season. The Wild are coming into this game on a six-game winning streak with the help of their own star goaltender, Jesper Wallstedt. The Avalanche were able to come back from a 2-1 lead to force extra time, but it wasn’t enough as the shootouts still haunt the Avalanche, and they fall 3-2.
Period 1:
An early showing of the period suggests how the rest of the period, if not the game, could go. Fast, physical, both teams/goaltenders will need to do everything they can to beat their opponent. Sam Malinski is called for roughing, but the Avalanche manages to kill it off. The Avalanche gets a power play of their own when Zeev Buium is called for hooking, but can't convert on the opportunity.
It's Nathan MacKinnon who buries home a loose puck that crosses Jesper Wallstedt's crease. Artturi Lehkonen does a great job setting up the play, as he won a difficult puck battle in the corner to free the puck, and MacKinnon was able to bury the free rebound. With that goal, MacKinnon passes Milan Hejduk for most goals scored against the Minnesota Wild in franchise history.
Period 2:
The first ten minutes of the period were a show that the Wild were not going to give up so easily, and put the pressure on the Avalanche hard. The pressure finally broke through as Buium's shot from the left wing bounced off Kirill Kaprizov’s skate and into Scott Wedgewood's five-hole, tying the game up 1-1. Scary moment when Cale Makar gets hit hard by former teammate Yakov Trenin into the boards and is in a bit of pain getting up. However, he would be fine as he took a shift off but was right back into the action.
97 breakin' the streak pic.twitter.com/zilPLo7Yiv
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 28, 2025
It’s Kaprizov to get the Wild the lead when he comes racing into the offensive zone, and Ryan Hartman finds him and rips a wrist shot top shelf past Wedgewood to take the lead, 2-1. The Wild outshot the Avalanche 17-10 in the second period, and it showed, with the Avalanche doing a lot of chasing in their own end of the ice as the Wild were able to set up multiple times. Cycling the puck well and able to stay in the offensive zone numerous times throughout the period.
Period 3:
The Avalanche came out as they did in the first period, with even more intensity, to tie the game up. Though they are running into one major problem: the play of Wallstedt and how well he has been stopping pretty much everything they throw at him. It's Captain Gabriel Landeskog who refuses to give up the play after being high-sticked in the face, as he buries MacKinnon's shot for the rebound to tie the game, 2-2.
THAT'S OUR CAPTAIN 🫡 pic.twitter.com/5jGe1hFPv7
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 28, 2025
The Avalanche outshot the Wild 14-8 in the period as they tried to push for the win, but were unsuccessful, and the game heads to overtime.
Overtime/Shootout:
It was a pretty uneventful overtime, as both teams played keep-away with the puck until they found the perfect shot or tired out their opponent. The Avalanche outshot the Wild 3-0 in the period, but nothing was particularly dangerous so this game will need a shootout.
Martin Necas and Mats Zuccarello went first for their team and were successful. Both MacKinnon and Kaprizov were denied in the second round. Matt Boldy to start the third round, and Makar misses on his chance, so the Wild win 3-2.
The Avalanche are back in action tomorrow, November 29th, against the Montreal Canadiens at home, wearing their throwback Quebec Nordiques jersey.
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