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Sports

Wild try for home-and-home sweep of Avs

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

The Minnesota Wild will try to complete a home-and-home sweep Saturday, as they visit the Colorado Avalanche for a Northwest Division clash at Pepsi Center.

The Wild recorded a 5-3 home decision against the Avalanche on Thursday, giving Minnesota its second win in the past five meetings against Colorado.

Minnesota has claimed eight of 12 overall in this series and seven of the past nine in Denver, but the Avalanche slammed the Wild, 7-1, when the clubs last met in the Mile High City on March 6 of the 2011-12 campaign.

The Wild won for the third time in four games in Thursday's opener and Mike Yeo's club is 10-5-1 over its past 16 trips to the ice.

Mikko Koivu scored two goals and Ryan Suter collected three assists as the Wild topped a road-challenged Colorado team on Thursday. The Avalanche have lost eight straight (0-5-3) on the road and are just 2-9-3 as the guest this season.

Devin Setoguchi, Torrey Mitchell and Jonas Brodin also lit the lamp for the Wild. Zach Parise and Matt Cullen each had two helpers, while Niklas Backstrom finished with 29 saves.

"I thought we did a good job on the forecheck and creating chances," Parise said.

PA Parenteau had two goals for Colorado and Semyon Varlamov, who is still winless on the road this season, made 35 saves.

After trading goals in the first, the Wild took control in the second period and led the contest 4-2 at the end of 40 minutes.

"They outworked us in that second period ... they won more battles," said Colorado head coach Joe Sacco.

The Avs will try to salvage the finale of this series by winning for the sixth time in seven home games. Colorado had a five-game home winning streak snapped Tuesday by Edmonton, but is still 8-3-1 at Pepsi Center this season.

The Wild are 4-7-1 on the road this season.

Minnesota's Jason Zucker missed the opener of this series after suffering a head injury in Tuesday's loss to Anaheim. Zucker was hurt on an illegal hit by Ducks forward Corey Perry, who was suspended four games for the check.

Zucker, who absorbed an elbow to the head in the collision, is not expected to play in Saturday's game.