Avalanche Vs. Wild: Minnesota Scores Three Goals In Third Period To Defeat Colorado, 5-2

Another night, another loss for the Colorado Avalanche--a condition now endemic for them. They lost on Tuesday night to the Minnesota Wild, 5-2.

The Avalanche held a 2-1 lead in the second period with less than three minutes left to play. The Avs scored on a Kevin Porter goal at 6:43 in the second and Paul Stastny followed with a power play goal at 16:11. Martin Havlat scored for the Wild in the first period.

But after a Ryan Wilson penalty for closing his hand on the puck, Andrew Brunette tied the game at two with 2:14 left in the second. Then in the third, the Wild added two more goals in a span of less than four minutes for a 4-2 lead. Kyle Brodziak got a shorthanded empty net goal to bring the final score to 5-2. Then when the final buzzer went off, Cody McLeod got angry and received a two-minute roughing penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct.

The Wild outshot the Avs, 30-24, with the Avs' Peter Budaj leaving the ice for the final two minutes or so of the game.

The Avs (26-32-8, 60 points) moved in to the No. 3 pick in the 2011 NHL draft with the loss. Since they defeated the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 18 to create a two-game winning streak, the Avs have dropped 18 of 20 games. They will look to beat the Anaheim Ducks on Friday in the Pepsi Center.

Avalanche Vs. Wild: Pretend They're The Blues

The Colorado Avalanche head up north and take on the Minnesota Wild in an attempt to break a losing streak that seems to be endless. Colorado has only beat one team (the St. Louis Blues) since January 20, and are a combined 0-15-2 against teams not from Missouri in that stretch.

Their job may become even more difficult tonight, as the Avalanche face off against a Minnesota team desperate to make a run, but currently on the fringe of playoff contention. The Wild play a suffocating defensive style in front of their goalie Niklas Backstrom, who is having a spectacular year in net. Backstrom is boasting a 2.36 GAA combined with a .925 SV% for the season and is a main reason the Wild have pushed themselves into the playoff discussion.

Offensively, Minnesota is led by Martin Havlat. Havlat has four goals and five assists in the Wild's previous 10 games, and leads the team in most statistical categories. The Wild have been carried by their special teams this season, with their power play ranking in the league's upper third.

Colorado will welcome back Ryan O`Byrne to the starting lineup after he missed the previous week with over 100 stitches to his cheek after getting kicked by a skate. His return will hopefully provide a boost of confidence to a team that has had a rough stretch of games. They have been lacking the physical defensive presence that O'Byrne brings to the ice.

Peter Budaj will get the start in net. Niklas Backstrom will start for Minnesota.

Puck drops from Xcel Energy Center at 6:00 p.m. MST.