AVALANCHE HOST WILD IN KEY CENTRAL DIVISION CLASH DENVER (Interstat) — The Colorado Avalanche, riding high near the top of the Western Conference, will host the surging Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at Ball Arena in a pivotal Central Division matchup. The Avalanche (37-18-0) enter with the superior record, but the Wild (34-24-0) arrive with significant momentum. Minnesota has earned points in eight of its last nine games (7-1-1), including a thrilling 6-5 overtime victory at Nashville on Feb. 4. In that win, Matt Boldy led the charge with a hat trick and an assist, while Vladimir Tarasenko and Yakov Trenin also provided key offense. Colorado is coming off a 4-2 home win over San Jose on the same night, powered by two goals from Artturi Lehkonen and multi-point nights from Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin. The Avalanche have shown dominance at times but also inconsistency, sandwiching a 7-3 home loss to Philadelphia and a 2-0 shutout loss to Detroit around convincing wins in recent weeks. The season series between these teams is split. On Nov. 28, the Wild edged the Avalanche 3-2 in a shootout in St. Paul. Less than a month later, Colorado responded with a decisive 5-1 victory in Minnesota on Dec. 21. This contest features a stark contrast in recent trajectories. The Wild have found a knack for winning close games, with five of their last seven victories coming in overtime or a shootout. The Avalanche, boasting one of the league’s most potent offenses, will test a Minnesota team that has allowed 19 goals over its last four games. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, this one is projected to be another tight affair, favoring the Wild with a predicted 4-3 scoreline. The game holds added importance in the tightly contested Central Division playoff race. It also serves as a preview of a quick rematch, as the teams are scheduled to meet again at Ball Arena on Sunday, March 8. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST Thursday.