Nathan MacKinnon is in a tight race for the Hart Trophy (MVP), but the Colorado Avalanche center likely added another bullet point to his strong résumé on Wednesday night.

Logs second-period tally

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.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — 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 Thursday night. Mikko Rantanan and Logan O'Connor also each had a goal and an assist ...

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

ST PAUL, Minn. — 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 Thursday night. Mikko Rantanan and Logan O’Connor also each had a goal and an assist, Ross Colton, Parker Kelly and Artturi Lehkonen also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves.

For the second time in less than two weeks, the Colorado Avalanche had a chance to gain ground on a wounded Minnesota Wild team. The first meeting was one of the best performances of the season for the Avalanche.

Colorado has a 28-18-1 record overall and a 7-7-0 record in Central Division play. The Avalanche have conceded 146 goals while scoring 158 for a +12 scoring differential. Minnesota has gone 27-15-4 overall with a 9-6-2 record against the Central Division. The Wild are 8-3-2 in one-goal games.

Abstract: 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 Thursday night. Mikko Rantanan and Logan O ...

Instead, the Avs operated with the urgency of Eeyore. And the crowd wasn’t exactly buzzing either. For long stretches, the only sound was sticks clicking the ice. Close your eyes and it was hard to tell if this was Ball Arena or a Family Sports Center practice.

We just put Nashville behind (us) quickly and regrouped,” Marc-Andre Fleury said, after he tied Martin Brodeur for the most seasons with 10 or more wins by a goalie in NHL history with 20.

Even with that talent, the Avalanche have yet to solve Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck, who leads all NHL goalies in wins (28), save percentage (.927), goals-against average (2.02) and shutouts (six). Two of those shutouts have come against Colorado, and he could be back in net after allowing four goals to Utah.