A preseason matchup is underway in St. Paul at the Excel Energy Center, featuring the Minnesota Wild taking on the Colorado Avalanche. The game has reached the final lines of the first period with Minnesota holding a 2-1 edge. The tone on the ice is crisp, with both teams testing systems and line combinations ahead of the regular season.
Early on, Minnesota struck quickly when Kirill Kaprizov buried a goal just 32 seconds after the opening faceoff, signaling his usual readiness to jump start the action. Alex Goligoski followed with a second marker for the Wild, adding a cushion that energized the home squad. Colorado answered back late in the opening frame as Spencer Smallman found a momentary window to trim the deficit, keeping the game close and signaling the Avalanche’s intent to compete for every inch of ice.
The previous postseason saw Minnesota exit in the 1/8 finals against Dallas, a round where the series stood 2-4 in favor of the Stars. Kaprizov participated in all six games of that series, recording a single tally. The larger story from the regular season shows Kaprizov delivering a strong impact, appearing in 67 games with 40 goals and 35 assists for the Wild. The Russian star also faced a late-season injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a month, a reminder of the durability needed to sustain success in a long campaign.
Looking ahead, the new NHL season is set to begin on the night of October 11, aligned to Moscow time. On opening night, three games headline the slate: Vegas against Seattle, Nashville visiting Tampa Bay, and Chicago hosting Pittsburgh. The momentum from the preseason, combined with the strength of the returning core and the depth added through summer moves, has analysts cautiously optimistic about what the Wild and their Western Conference rivals can achieve this season. In discussing goals for the upcoming campaign, Kaprizov has repeatedly emphasized building on last year’s performance and strengthening all areas of the game to push Minnesota deeper into the playoffs, according to NHL Stats 2024. The team remains focused on consistency, tactical discipline, and the pace that has become a calling card for this era of Wild hockey.
As the preseason unfolds, fans will watch to see how the line combos gel, how the depth players respond to increased minutes, and how the coaching staff adapts to early-season challenges. The early returns from St. Paul suggest a team prepared to compete, with a recognizable identity and the ability to respond when pressure mounts. The season’s opening chapters will reveal whether Minnesota can translate preseason performance into sustained success through the grind of a demanding schedule and the pursuit of postseason glory, a storyline that continues to captivate Wild supporters across North America.