Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche Picks and Predictions March 11th 2025

Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche March 11th 2025

Looking to win big? The Avalanche and Wild face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Wild are hosting the game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The Avalanche are favored by -1.5 in this Central division showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 6 goals.

Colorado vs. Minnesota Key Information

• Teams: Avalanche at Wild
• Where: Xcel Energy Center St. Paul
• Date: Tuesday, March 11th
• Betting Odds COL -200 | MIN +166 O/U 6

The Avalanche Can Win If…

With a 5-2 loss to the Predators, the Avalanche’s record dropped to 39-24-2. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 7 goals surpassed that mark. Colorado, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.

Colorado took the lead in the second period with a goal from Cale Makar, but the Predators responded with five unanswered goals. The Avalanche’s second goal came from Nathan MacKinnon, cutting the deficit to 3-2, before Nashville added two empty-netters to seal the game.

Cale Makar got the Avalanche on the board with a power-play goal, his fifth of the season, 2:54 into the second period. Nathan MacKinnon added his sixth goal late in the third. MacKinnon also picked up his 14th assist on Makar’s goal, while Makar recorded his 16th assist on MacKinnon’s third-period score.

Colorado fired 30 shots on goal but only managed to find the net twice. The Avalanche had 23 giveaways in the game.

Colorado’s defense struggled late, allowing three goals in the 3rd period, including two empty-netters. The Avalanche also gave up a goal at 1:20 in the 2nd, just after Nashville had tied the game. Goalie Justus Annunen made 21 saves with an 87.5% save percentage.

• The Avalanche have posted a 3-0 record in their previous three games. The team has also been excellent vs the spread, going 3-0. Their over-under record in these games was 2-1.
• Colorado has put together a record of 8-2 in their last ten games (regular season). In these contests, the team went just 8-2 against the spread, while going 5-4-1 on the over-under.

The Wild Can Win If…

With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 36-24-4 this season. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but the game’s total of 3 goals fell short of the 6-goal line.

Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for the Wild in the first period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the period. Matt Boldy secured the win for Minnesota with a goal at 2:14 in overtime.

Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season, while Matt Boldy added his sixth, including the game-winner in overtime. Jared Spurgeon picked up two assists, bringing his season total to three. The Wild took 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless in the second and third periods.

Hartman’s goal came at 9:41 in the first period, and Boldy’s winner came 2:14 into overtime. The Wild recorded 15 giveaways in the game.

Defensively, the Wild will look to carry over their momentum from their previous game, where they allowed just 1 goal to the Maple Leafs. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves, finishing with a 96.4% save percentage. The Wild’s defense also recorded 7 takeaways and 22 hits. The only goal they allowed came on a power play with 52 seconds left in the first period.

• The Wild have gone 1-2 over their last three regular season games. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 1-2, in addition to an over-under mark of 1-2.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Minnesota has a record of 5-5. In these contests, the team went just 4-6 against the spread, while going 5-5 on the over-under.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Wild to take down the Avalanche at home. With the moneyline currently at +166, I’m placing my bet on the Wild straight-up.

Our projections have the Wild pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Wild, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 6 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

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Wild Aim to Bounce Back Against Streaking Avalanche

The Minnesota Wild are running out of time to turn their season around. With just 18 games left, every point matters as they fight to stay in the playoff race. But after losing five of their last seven games, they need to fix their scoring struggles fast—starting with a tough test against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Meanwhile, Colorado is rolling. The Avalanche shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 on Monday night and are flying into Minnesota with momentum and confidence, led by Nathan MacKinnon, who just hit a major career milestone.

Wild Struggling to Convert Opportunities

Despite generating scoring chances, the Wild just aren’t finishing. They’ve scored only one goal in three of their last four games, including a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Veteran forward Marcus Foligno knows what needs to change.

With the playoff race tightening, Minnesota can’t afford to keep missing opportunities.

“This is the crucial time of year,” Foligno emphasized. “We’re getting down to where there’s 18 games left, and we need wins fast. You don’t want this thing getting out of hand.”

The Wild sit just outside the Western Conference playoff picture, making every game a must-win from here on out.

Avalanche Keep Rolling as MacKinnon Makes History

The Avalanche enter Tuesday’s game on a high note, shutting out Chicago 3-0 on Monday with goals from Artturi Lehkonen, Martin Necas, and Joel Kiviranta.

But the biggest story? Nathan MacKinnon’s 1,000th career point, making him just the 100th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.

“It’s cool,” MacKinnon said after the game. “It’s fun to accomplish something with friends and teammates.”

Head coach Jared Bednar knows MacKinnon isn’t one to dwell on personal achievements, but he believes his star will appreciate the milestone later in his career.

“He’s so focused on the moment,” Bednar said. “But when it’s all done, and he gets a little older, he’ll look back and realize these are big moments.”

With Colorado playing back-to-back nights, Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to start in net after Scott Wedgewood shut out the Blackhawks. Blackwood has been outstanding this season (18-7-2, 2.22 GAA, .917 SV%), making him a tough challenge for the struggling Wild offense.

Projected Goalie Matchup

• Colorado: Mackenzie Blackwood (18-7-2, 2.22 GAA, .917 SV%)
• Minnesota: Filip Gustavsson (24-14-3, 2.60 GAA, .914 SV%)

Both goaltenders have strong numbers, but Minnesota’s offense needs to show up if they hope to steal a win.

Key Players to Watch

Minnesota Wild:

• Matt Boldy – Team leader with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in 64 games.
• Marcus Foligno – Veteran forward looking to spark the offense.
• Filip Gustavsson – Needs a strong performance to keep the game close.

Colorado Avalanche:

• Nathan MacKinnon – League-leading 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 65 games.
• Cale Makar – 75 points (24 goals, 51 assists) in 65 games.
• Mackenzie Blackwood – Expected starter with top-tier goalie stats.

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Final Thoughts: Can Minnesota End Their Slump?

Minnesota needs to find its offense—and fast. Their scoring struggles have been costly, and against a Stanley Cup contender like Colorado, they can’t afford to waste chances.

On the other hand, the Avalanche are in top form, with MacKinnon’s historic milestone adding to their surging confidence.

Can the Wild pull off the upset, or will Colorado’s firepower be too much to handle?

We’ll find out when the puck drops Tuesday night in Saint Paul.