Avalanche edge Wild in shootout for 5th straight win

Nathan MacKinnon scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of the shootout to lift Colorado over Minnesota.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in a shootout on Sunday, extending their winning streak to five games. Nathan MacKinnon scored the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout, while Val Nichushkin also scored in the shootout for the Avalanche. Colorado rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third period, with goals from MacKinnon and Nicolas Roy. Kirill Kaprizov and Nico Sturm scored for the Wild, who got a 34-save performance from Jesper Wallstedt.

Why it matters

The win increases Colorado's lead over Minnesota in the Central Division standings to 10 points, as the Avalanche continue their strong push towards the playoffs. The game also featured the debut of Nazem Kadri, who was acquired by Colorado at the trade deadline, and the absence of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog due to a lower-body injury.

The details

The Avalanche took a 1-0 lead in the second period on MacKinnon's 43rd goal of the season, but the Wild tied it early in the third on Kaprizov's power-play tally. Sturm then scored a short-handed goal to give Minnesota a 2-1 advantage, but Roy's goal late in the third sent the game to overtime. After a scoreless OT, MacKinnon and Nichushkin scored in the shootout to give Colorado the victory.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 9, 2026.
  • MacKinnon scored the game-winning goal in the fourth round of the shootout.

The players

Nathan MacKinnon

The star center for the Colorado Avalanche, who scored the decisive goal in the shootout and had a goal in regulation.

Jesper Wallstedt

The rookie goaltender for the Minnesota Wild, who made 34 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped two of four shootout attempts.

Nazem Kadri

The forward acquired by the Avalanche at the trade deadline, who had an assist in his first game with Colorado since the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals.

Gabriel Landeskog

The Avalanche captain, who missed the game due to a lower-body injury and is expected to miss multiple weeks.

Kirill Kaprizov

The star winger for the Minnesota Wild, who scored a power-play goal in the third period to tie the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to battle and find ways to win, even with key injuries. This was a big two points for us.”

— Nathan MacKinnon (therinklive.com)

What’s next

The Avalanche will look to extend their winning streak when they host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, March 12th. The Wild will try to bounce back when they visit the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, March 13th.

The takeaway

The Avalanche's ability to win close games and overcome key injuries like Landeskog's demonstrates their depth and resilience as they continue their push for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Wild's short-handed goal allowed highlights an area they'll need to improve as they try to catch Colorado in the division standings.