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The Wild needed that one. Still missing Kirill Kaprizov and a few other key players due to injuries, Minnesota went into Denver and beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Monday afternoon, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process.

The NFL is not the only sport that is going to have an intense MVP debate. As the 2024-25 NHL season reaches its halfway point, the Hart Trophy (MVP) race is still extremely wide open with several contenders emerging.

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.

To mark the halfway point of the 2024-25 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Hart Trophy, given annually to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team in the NHL as selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

MacKinnon is the most likely Avalanche player to take advantage of a Wild defense that is bleeding shots. Not only is he the best shot-generator on the team, but the Wild have allowed the second-most shots to centers in the NHL over the past few weeks.

(AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading 53rd assist ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota to 12 shots on goal in the first two periods.

The Minnesota Wild feel a sense of urgency despite having nearly half a season left to play. After losing three in a row and four of their last five games, the Wild will look to turn things around on Monday afternoon against the host Colorado Avalanche in Denver.

(AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota ...

Yakov Trenin scored against his former team early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Monday. Jake Middleton had a goal and an

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.

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.