Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild
NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild on Dec 21, 2025. Final score: Colorado Avalanche 5, Minnesota Wild 1.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Dec 21, 2025 |
| Venue | Grand Casino Arena |
| Colorado Avalanche score | 5 |
| Minnesota Wild score | 1 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brock Nelson | C | 1 | 2 | 2 | 17:57 | 0.23 | 2.08 |
| 2nd | Cale Makar | D | 1 | 2 | 7 | 23:25 | 0.40 | 2.08 |
| 3rd | Nathan MacKinnon | C | 2 | 0 | 4 | 22:33 | 1.01 | 1.50 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Colorado Avalanche–Minnesota Wild) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 18:28 | COL | Martin Necas | Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog | 5v5 | 1–0 |
| 2nd 13:37 | COL | Nathan MacKinnon | Brock Nelson, Cale Makar | 4v5 | 2–0 |
| 2nd 18:33 | COL | Cale Makar | Brock Nelson, Gabriel Landeskog | 4v5 | 3–0 |
| 3rd 05:15 | MIN | Ryan Hartman | Jonas Brodin, Kirill Kaprizov | 5v5 | 3–1 |
| 3rd 15:52 | COL | Brock Nelson | Samuel Girard, Valeri Nichushkin | 5v5 | 4–1 |
| 3rd 17:35 | COL | Nathan MacKinnon | Devon Toews, Valeri Nichushkin | 6v5 | 5–1 |
Team Comparison
| Colorado Avalanche | Minnesota Wild | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 5 | 1 |
| Shots on goal | 42 | 29 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 4.86 | 2.70 |
| High-danger shots | 16 | 13 |
| Corsi % | 58.9% | 41.1% |
| Power play | 2/4 | 0/3 |
| Faceoff % | 55.3% | 44.7% |
| Hits | 17 | 13 |
| Blocks | 8 | 25 |
| Giveaways | 20 | 11 |
| Takeaways | 6 | 2 |
Colorado Avalanche Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Nelson | C | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 17:57 | 0.23 | 2.08 |
| Cale Makar | D | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 23:25 | 0.40 | 2.08 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | C | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 22:33 | 1.01 | 1.50 |
| Gabriel Landeskog | L | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 20:52 | 0.71 | 1.33 |
| Valeri Nichushkin | R | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 19:27 | 0.29 | 1.33 |
| Devon Toews | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 22:23 | 0.09 | 0.74 |
| Samuel Girard | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14:24 | 0.01 | 0.69 |
| Martin Necas | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 19:40 | 0.25 | 0.65 |
| Parker Kelly | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:35 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Sam Malinski | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:43 | 0.04 | 0.10 |
| Artturi Lehkonen | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17:07 | 0.65 | 0.05 |
| Gavin Brindley | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9:45 | 0.08 | 0.00 |
| Brent Burns | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20:28 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Joel Kiviranta | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:09 | 0.32 | 0.00 |
| Victor Olofsson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10:12 | 0.39 | -0.05 |
| Josh Manson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:27 | 0.02 | -0.10 |
| Ross Colton | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10:03 | 0.09 | -0.10 |
| Jack Drury | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:50 | 0.05 | -0.15 |
Minnesota Wild Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Hartman | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 18:09 | 0.79 | 1.00 |
| Jonas Brodin | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 22:35 | 0.02 | 0.79 |
| Kirill Kaprizov | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 21:29 | 0.33 | 0.59 |
| Jared Spurgeon | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21:34 | 0.02 | 0.35 |
| Yakov Trenin | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:41 | 0.00 | 0.25 |
| Quinn Hughes | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 26:41 | 0.14 | 0.10 |
| Joel Eriksson Ek | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20:24 | 0.34 | 0.10 |
| Jake Middleton | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:20 | 0.01 | 0.10 |
| Danila Yurov | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:03 | 0.12 | 0.05 |
| Brock Faber | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23:07 | 0.05 | 0.00 |
| Mats Zuccarello | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19:56 | 0.06 | 0.00 |
| David Jiricek | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6:59 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Vinnie Hinostroza | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:29 | 0.06 | 0.00 |
| Nico Sturm | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:41 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:57 | 0.14 | -0.05 |
| Marcus Johansson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15:30 | 0.13 | -0.10 |
| Matt Boldy | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 21:34 | 0.22 | -0.10 |
| Marcus Foligno | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8:50 | 0.27 | -0.20 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie Blackwood | Colorado Avalanche | 28 | 29 | 96.6% | 2.30 | W |
| Jesper Wallstedt | Minnesota Wild | 37 | 41 | 90.2% | -0.57 | L |
Analysis
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild 5–1 on Dec 21, 2025, a decisive 4-goal win.
Minnesota Wild generated 2.7 expected goals to Colorado Avalanche's 4.86 — the run of play matched the result, with Colorado Avalanche earning the better chances as well as the goals.
Brock Nelson led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.08 on 1 goal, 2 assists, 2 shots on goal.
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 28 of 29, worth 2.3 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild game?
The Colorado Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 5–1 on Dec 21, 2025.
What was the final score?
The final score was Colorado Avalanche 5, Minnesota Wild 1.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Brock Nelson led all skaters at 2.08, on 1G, 2A and 2 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Minnesota Wild generated 2.7 expected goals and Colorado Avalanche generated 4.86, so Colorado Avalanche created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Colorado Avalanche put 42 shots on goal and Minnesota Wild put 29. High-danger chances went 16 to 13.
How did the goaltenders play?
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 28 of 29 (2.3 goals saved above expected); Jesper Wallstedt stopped 37 of 41 (-0.57 goals saved above expected).