Yakov Trenin and Brock Faber score 3rd period goals in the Wild’s 3-1 win over the Avalanche

DENVER, CO – Yakov Trenin found the back of the net against his former team early in the third period, helping the Minnesota Wild secure a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.

Jake Middleton contributed with a goal and an assist, Brock Faber also scored, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves to back up Minnesota’s solid performance.

The game was tied at 1-1 heading into the third, but Trenin’s wrist shot from the slot at 2:08 gave the Wild a 2-1 lead. Just 1:35 later, Faber extended the lead with another goal, making it a two-goal advantage for Minnesota.

Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL’s points leader, had previously tied the game late in the second period with his 18th goal of the season, just 1:08 before the break.

With 3:27 remaining, Colorado pulled goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood for an extra attacker, but the Avalanche couldn’t find the net.

Missing key players like captain Jared Spurgeon and top scorer Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota put together a strong road effort, especially after allowing six goals to Colorado in a previous meeting on Jan. 9. The Avalanche managed just five shots midway through the game and struggled to generate consistent offense. The Wild improved to an impressive 17-5-3 record on the road.

Colorado’s power play woes continued, failing to register a shot on their first opportunity and only generating a few chances on their second. The Avalanche have now scored just seven goals in their last 59 power-play attempts.

Looking ahead, the Wild will host Utah on Thursday night, while the Avalanche conclude their five-game homestand against Winnipeg on Wednesday.