NHL Highlights | Avalanche vs. Wild – December 21, 2025

NHL Highlights | Avalanche vs. Wild – December 21, 2025

And good starts have been such a big part of this run for Minnesota that has seen them go 172 and two in their last 21. And we are underway. There’s a buzz in the building. There was some excitement for this one. And they’ll continue to like the way that their group is playing. >> Deflected ahead. Here’s a chance for Henstrosza. HENESTRO IN. FIRES AND A save made by Blackwood >> with a great look early. >> Yeah, this is just bringing what you do. Pinstroza on a good route. Gets to this puck first and Timmy Ranted almost just gives up on this one and allows Henrosza the lone break. And Rosa tries to go a little blocker seven hole but wild change as Faber starts out. He lost it to Lechan. Lechinan moves in short-handed. A backhander save ballad. Rebound is loose. Kiranto wheels and fires and hit traffic out front. Mar to Taves. His shot deflected wide. Havs have had the territorial advantage here in this first period. >> Nas plays to the corner. Landisk leaves it for Mar INTO THE SLOT. NAS SCORES. And with 92 seconds left in the period, Colorado has the game’s first goal. with the changes. Bodies get dragged out. Watch Faber gets drawn all the way up. Hughes is looking for somebody and then the switch inside. Capri off left to play D. He has to play center field and against Maris. That’s tough to do. Twoon one. Mar puts this right in the wheelhouse and NIS. But what a shot that was. Quick little snap. Batted out of the air and Johansson sends it cross ice for Baldi. Landisk to McKinnon. McKinnon and Nash. and a shot and a sliding save by Boston in Houston. And boy, it’s a rolling puck. He gets a lot on that lead. Minnesota got a pair in the second period from Caril Capriov to take a 2-1 lead into the third before the ABS tied it and forced overtime. Underway in the second, a brief conversation, but no sign. Well, now John Hines is signaling for the official here, perhaps asking for a moment to make his decision. But I I mean I I like the idea of a challenge, but I do think in the spirit all the they need to they need to have a like almost a shot clock. I like the Wild going for this. I do think it was >> and THEY WILL CHALLENGE. MINNESOTA IS USING ITS COACH’S CHALLENGE TO DETERMINE IF THE PREVIOUS play was offside prior to the goal. >> Boy, that is very close. >> Yeah, but it’s it’s the guy behind him. And if if there’s access to a camera at a different angle, I’m I’m confident 62 on that far side is offside that you can almost see white paint. So, it’s not the middle lane drive. IT’S >> AFTER COACH’S CHALLENGE VIDEO REVIEW. THE CALL ON THE ICE IS OVERTURNED. WE HAVE NO GOAL. >> Little drama. His pass cross ice behind Hughes. Nous to McKinnon. Now back to Mar down the slot. A shot and that goes over the top of the goal. The ice on the breakout. It’s a turnover right here. And then Nas jumps on it. How about this feed from McKinnon to Mar now the glove save. Boom. Right there. Pval said, “Look at the positioning again out above the paint with that first save on the HS one-time.” Well, they he got a lot on that and I think it was a helmet save from Ballstead. Nelson to McKinnon scores and the ABS cash in on the power play to extend the lead to two-0. designed play on a face off here, >> but watch McKinnon now push and then get lost in soft ice as soon as it goes to the side. No time for Favor to recover and it’s the sort out happen so fast. Boom boom back of the net. That’s a aial pass from Nelson. And story here is wild draw there. And Colorado gets four minutes of power play time. Leading by two already. >> Baldi with A TAKEAWAY. A SHORT-HANDED BREAKAWAY FOR MATT BALDY. Fires and a save by Blackwood. Went five hole on the forehand. Great stand at the blue or at the red line for the takeaway. And then he’s looking five hole. I mean, we’ve seen him score this goal nearly half a dozen times. >> Wanted Lar was actually deflected by Nis. >> McKinnon to the slaughter shot. Pad save rebound and it’s swept away. Failed clear. McKinnon coming over the top. Boy, first save was good. Second one better with a heroic block on that one time. I mean, getting in front of it. Frightening. Franchise leader in all time block shots. Mar fires and scores. A long range wrist shot from Mar is the one that finally beats Ball Stad and the power play goal extends Colorado’s lead to 300. But how about Macar? He’s like, I’m not going away from the glove. I’m going to go back there. I’m going to go until I get it. He walks right to the middle. Picks this one up and then Yeah, right over the shoulder. Well placed shot. He high IQ on him, too. Kind of holding that puck, waiting for a screen to develop. Zukarello pushes it down into the A zone. 22 left in the period as Zukarelloo comes out of the corner. got into Yurov a shot and that went wide. AS with a commanding 300 lead heading into the third period. Kale Mar figured in all three Colorado goals so far with a goal and two assists. Can Minnesota respond? Baldi for the backhand. Save Blackwood. Olison couldn’t find the handle to get a shot away. Now Burns at the line. A deflected puck saved. ballstead and he made another stop on Olison on the rebound. >> I think Nelson was looking for a pump fake but elected to shoot and a diving stop by Hartman. Capri’s pass deflects. Hartman recovers back to the point. A long shot off the post. The red light came on but it’s immediately waved off. HUGHES DOWN THE SLOT CENTERS. A redirect by Zukarella went just wide. Zukarelloo looking for Hartman. Hughes steps up, put it out front, and Hartman’s deflection goes to the corner. Broaddin down the slot of shot. THAT’S OFF THE POST. REBOUND IS SCORE. Ryan Hartman on the rebound after Broaddin hit the post twice on the shift. Hartman scores and it’s 3-1 play. I mean, they bring it here. Watch Hughes here on the second effort. Boom. Bounce, but that extends the play down the corner now. Capri off gets it up high and off the post on a T for Hartman. He spins off his check to find this right on the forehand and Hartman stays hot in the goal scoring department. The Colorado defense could knock him up with a puck. Capriov spins away from Taves. Left it for Hartman. Zukarella Capriov and a pad save by Blackwood. >> Takeaway on Mar. Then watch it’s all in the corner winning their battles. Harvin, Capri Hop, Zukarelloo getting back to the net. Find a way to pop one and all of a sudden Colorado’s body language has changed. FUSE CENTERS ERICSON A REDIRECT SAVED BY BLACKWOOD. Winning mentality. Gerard able to hold. Broaddin went off the skate of Lechinan. Here’s Minsky at the line. His shot deflects to the corner. Nashkin to Gerard across Nelson. A one-time and he scores. Brock Nelson hammers one past Volstad and Colorado extends the lead to 4-1. The puck eventually makes its way to Nushkin. >> There’s the bounce. It kicks straight out right there. It looks like it was going around the glass, but it goes right to Val and that extends the play for Colorado. Went from a tough angle. Nelson gets everything on that one. Out to the line, it’s Hughes. Back in Ericson to Baldi. Two and a half to go. Landisk takes it away. Got it to Taves. Nashkin had it. Poke checked away. Now McKinnon after it and he will receive the fortunate bounce. The empty net goal and that will do it. 51 ABS. 30 on the year for McKinnon and five for Colorado here tonight. And he does a good job staying on side but Final seconds expire and the Avalanche defeat the Wild here in St. Paul by a final score of 5 to one.

Nathan MacKinnon scored a pair of goals while Cale Makar recorded three points as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-1.

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00:00:00 – 1st Regulation Period
00:02:01 – 2nd Regulation Period
00:06:12 – 3rd Regulation Period