Blackwood will defend the home crease against the Wild on Monday. Blackwood has been relatively effective since being traded to the Avalanche from the Sharks, but he'll be looking for a bounce ...

Some of the issues that looked fixed two days ago in a decisive win against the Dallas Stars were again troubling for the Colorado Avalanche in a loss to the Minnesota Wild.

Without Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota played a smart, poised and gutsy game, pulling away in the third for a 3-1 victory at Ball Arena.

Yakov Trenin and Brock Faber scored goals 1:35 apart early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 in Denver on Monday.

The Colorado Avalanche put up a short performance against division rival Minnesota Wild in their fourth of a five-game homestand. Nathan MacKinnon scores Colorado's lone goal in the 3-1 loss.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, front left, passes the puck as Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, back left, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood defend in ...

Mackenzie Blackwood stoned Joel Eriksson Ek on a ... Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson, center, skates with the puck as Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello, right, defends during ...

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading 53rd assist of the season to help the Colorado Avalanche rout the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on ... also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves.

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, front left, passes the puck as Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, back left, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood defends in the first period of an ...

Mackenzie Blackwood had 23 saves ... Middleton's shot from the point got by a screened Blackwood to give Minnesota 1-0 lead at 12:18. The Wild went on the power play twice in the final 4:39 ...