Colorado @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 23, 2019 ) Minnesota 5, Colorado 2

The Minnesota Wild host Colorado on Tuesday in a key Western Conference matchup involving teams outside playoff position with the Avalanche trying to avoid sliding out of serious contention. Minnesota lost its grip on a wild card by going 2-3-3 in its last eight games, including Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders that left it one point behind Arizona for the final spot.

"The lost point hurts," Wild left wing Zach Parise told reporters Sunday after scoring his team-high 25th goal. "It's that time of the year where you've got to get them. But at the same time, that just feels probably as well as we've played in a while.'' Colorado improved to 3-5-0 in its last eight games with a 3-0 victory over New Jersey on Sunday and is three points behind Minnesota with a game in hand on the Wild and Coyotes. "We need wins, and that was a good step in the right direction," Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer told the media after recording his second shutout in his last three starts. "We can't hope for another team to lose for us to get in. We have to keep playing the right way. Every shift for every guy matters.'' The Wild won two straight meetings after losing the season opener to Colorado with Eric Staal scoring three goals in the victories and Devan Dubnyk stopping 86-of-92 shots in the three games.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), FS North Plus (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (31-29-12): Nathan MacKinnon (team highs of 37 goals and 91 points) recorded a goal and an assist in each of the last two games and has four goals and nine points in his last six contests. Mikko Rantanen (31 goals, 87 points) has scored in every other game in eight March contests after he missed the scoresheet Sunday. Tyson Barrie (nine goals, 50 points) scored twice versus New Jersey and needs three to pass Sandis Ozolinsh (72 goals) as the top scoring defensemen in club history.

ABOUT THE WILD (34-30-9): Parise leads the club with 57 points but has only three in the eight March games he's played. Staal (49 points) has one goal in his last eight games with that score giving him his 12th 20-goal season. Ryan Donato had two assists Sunday after scoring twice in Saturday's 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers and has four goals and nine assists in 13 games since being acquired from Boston.

OVERTIME

1. MacKinnon became the second player in Colorado history to record back-to-back 90-point seasons, joining Peter Forsberg (1997-99).

2. Minnesota D Ryan Suter (45 points) recorded an assist Sunday for his 300th point with the club and is six points shy of his career high set in 2015-16 and matched last season.

3. The Wild are 4-for-10 on the power play in their last three games after going 0-for-18 in the previous six.

PREDICTION: Wild 3, Avalanche 2