GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MINNESOTA (7-3) at COLORADO (6-4)

NHL: MINNESOTA (7-3) at COLORADO (6-4)

<h3>After consecutive losses, Wild look to get back on track in Colorado</h3>

<div class="pre">Minnesota (7-1-2) at Colorado (6-4-0) 3:00 pm EDT</div>

DENVER (Ticker) - After suffering back-to-back losses for thefirst time this season, the Minnesota Wild will try to get backon track against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

The Wild started the 2007-08 campaign with wins in seven oftheir first eight games. However, Minnesota has stumbled in itslast two contests, suffering its first regulation loss to theCalgary Flames on Wednesday before losing in a shootout to theEdmonton Oilers the next night.


The Wild surrendered five goals in each of the losses after notallowing more than three in any other game. Minnesotaranks second in the NHL in goals-against average, giving upfewer than two tallies a game.


Minnesota will need to turn in a strong defensive performanceagainst an Avalanche team that will likely be seeking revengeafter suffering a 3-2 loss to the Wild last Sunday.

Following the loss, Colorado has won its last two games againstthe same two teams that defeated the Wild this week.

Scoring first will be paramount for Minnesota as Colorado is aperfect 5-0 when it notches the first tally but just 1-4 whenallowing opponents to get on the scoreboard first.

The Wild will be without top goaltender Niklas Backstrom, whosuffered a groin injury in practice on Saturday. The Finnishnetminder is 5-1-1 this season with a 1.98 goals againstaverage.


Josh Harding will take Backstrom's spot. The 23-year-old is2-0-1 with a 1.62 GAA in three starts this season.

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL AT COLORADO
STARTING GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
COL - PETER BUDAJ

OFFICIALS: REF - DENNIS LARUE, KEVIN POLLOCK
LIN - LONNIE CAMERON, MARK WHEELER</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA VS COLORADO - SCRATCHES

MINNESOTA COLORADO

K CARNEY HEALTHY M HEJDUK BACK INJURY
P DEMITRA GROIN J JILLSON HEALTHY
M GABORIK GROIN
N BACKSTROM GROIN</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 0 16:24 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 0 13:37 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 1
1ST PRD: COL - RYAN SMYTH 5 (JOE SAKIC) 8:29</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 1 10:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 1 7:51 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 0
COLORADO 1 5:32 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) ERIC BELANGER 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, KURTIS
FOSTER) 15:42</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 1
COLORADO 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: COL - RYAN SMYTH 5 (JOE SAKIC) 8:29
MIN - (PP) ERIC BELANGER 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, KURTIS
FOSTER) 15:42

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 10 10
COL 11 11

GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
COL - PETER BUDAJ</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">------------------------
Minnesota 1 --1
Colorado 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Colorado, Ryan Smyth 5 (Joe Sakic), 8:29.
2, Minnesota, Eric Belanger 4 (power play) (Pierre-Marc Bouchard,
Kurtis Foster), 15:42. Penalties: R Smyth, Col (tripping), 1:17; J
Finger, Col (hooking), 15:14.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Minnesota 10 --10
Colorado 11 --11
-----------------------------

Goalies : Minnesota, Josh Harding (11 shots, 10 saves). Colorado,
Peter Budaj (10 shots, 9 saves). Referees: Dennis Larue, Kevin
Pollock. Linesmen: Lonnie Cameron, Mark Wheeler.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 16:52 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 14:25 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 12:52 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 10:07 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 7:18 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1 4:51 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>