The Minnesota Wild played host to the Colorado Avalanche for the first time this season on Thursday, Jan. 9, and the Wild caught the Avalanche in their second half of a back-to-back where they fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first game.

The Colorado Avalanche finish their first back-to-back series of the new year 1-1-0. After a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, they came ready to play against the Minnesota Wild, who currently sit at 4th in the league and 2nd in the western conference.

The first impression the Wild made on the Avalanche wasn’t the team that’s top-five in the NHL and leading Colorado in the Central Division. That’s because that version wasn’t playing. After admirably overcoming injuries the last week-plus to win four in a row,