Jonathan Drouin and Jack Drury scored 52 seconds apart in a three-goal second period and the Colorado Avalanche beat weary Minnesota 5-2 on Friday night to pull even with the third-place Wild in the Central Division.

Buoyed by a dominant second period, the Avs defeated the Minnesota Wild, 5-2, on Friday night at Ball Arena. Ross Colton had two goals and a three-point night, while Oliver Kylington added two assists as the Avs got multiple goals from depth scorers for a second straight contest.

Ross Colton posted two goals and an assist to help the Avalanche defeat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 at Ball Arena on Friday. Oliver Kylington added a pair of assists while Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin and Jack Drury each scored for the Avs.

The Avalanche has been active before the trade deadline, but could we see a splash like acquiring Sidney Crosby to pair with Nathan MacKinnon?

Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin and Jack Drury each scored a goal, and Oliver Kylington had two assists for the Avalanche (35-24-2), who have won two straight and three of their past five games. Mackenzie Blackwood made 18 saves.

The Colorado Avalanche came into the season with championship aspirations and Alexandar Georgiev as their top goaltender.

Earlier in the year and prior we’ve been great in limiting their chances, the opposite team good chances, and now it feels like we just open it up and just give them ice and time and stuff

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.

The Colorado Avalanche host the Minnesota Wild after Nathan MacKinnon's two-goal game against the New Jersey Devils in the Avalanche's 5-1 win.

When I refreshed my web browser this morning and saw Michael Russo’s report that Joel Eriksson Ek has joined Kirill Kaprizov in the dreaded purgatory that is the Minnesota Wild’s injured reserve list these days,

On Friday, the Minnesota Wild will travel to the Rocky Mountains to face the Colorado Avalanche in a battle at Ball Arena. It will be a Central Division showdown as we continue our NHL odds series and make a Wild-Avalanche prediction and pick.