The Colorado Avalanche picked a great weekend to figure things out in the shootout. Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin scored in the one-on-one competition Sunday afternoon, and the Avs knocked off the Minnesota Wild, 3-2, at Ball Arena. They also beat the Dallas Stars in a shootout Friday night , securing a huge four points to put the Central Division title and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference in clear view. Colorado led the Stars by nine points and the Wild by 10 after the win, though Dallas had a game to play later Sunday night. The Avs were 1-5 in shootouts before this weekend. “It was great,” Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood said after making 32 saves and three more in the shootout. “I think it foreshadows that it is probably going to take some extra time come playoff time. I think you just get that upper edge. You feel like you beat them, regardless of how you beat them.” Nazem Kadri had an assist in his return to the Avs after being acquired Friday afternoon in a trade with the Calgary Flames. Two of the other new guys teamed up to help the Avs get even at 2-2. Nicolas Roy tipped a Brett Kulak shot from the left point past Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt at 12:39 of the third period. It was Roy’s first goal with the Avs after being acquired Thursday in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Colorado entered the day 33-0-0 when leading after two periods. The Avs wobbled in the third, but they are now 34-0-0. “Obviously at that point, we needed a goal,” Roy said. “Just tried to switch the mindset up a little bit, tried to attack a little more. It was good to get one there. Good timing.” While the Avs have been historically great for much of this season at even strength, they nearly lost this contest on special teams. Minnesota rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the first half of the third period with a pair of special-teams tallies. Kirill Kaprizov scored four seconds into a Wild power play after Ross Colton went to the penalty box for slashing. Kaprizov was shooting for Matt Boldy’s stick, but the official scored determined it went off Brent Burns’ blade instead and just inside the far post at 4:17 of the third. Then, with the Avs on the power play, old friend Nico Sturm got behind everyone and scored shorthanded at 7:01. That is Colorado’s 11th shorthanded goal against this season, which leads the NHL. The Avs went 0-for-5 with the man advantage in this contest and yielded a shorthanded goal. That’s a bad day at the office, even though Colorado’s first unit did create far more chances than it has on other scoreless days this season. MacKinnon had the lone goal of the opening two periods. Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes tried to leave the puck for a teammate, but Kadri jumped the drop pass and then sent it to MacKinnon cutting to the net. The league leader scored his 43rd of the season at 12:19 of the second, and immediately pointed across the to ice to Kadri. Nazem Kadri (91) of the Colorado Avalanche stands for the national anthem before the game against the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena in Denver on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) The Ball Arena crowd gave Kadri several loud ovations — during warmups, when he was introduced in the starting lineup and after a welcome back video during the first television timeout. He got another one after setting up MacKinnon’s goal. Related Articles Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog is out with a lower-body injury Sizing up Avalanche and Western Conference contenders after NHL trade deadline | Journal Avalanche players react to Nazem Kadri’s return: ‘I love the guy’ NBA needs to get defenders off knees of Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic | Renck File Avalanche squeak past Stars in shootout after wild showdown between NHL’s best Kadri spent three seasons with Colorado from 2019-22, but became one of the most popular players in recent franchise history. His run culminated with the club’s third Stanley Cup championship in 2022. Kadri signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Calgary Flames a few weeks after lifting the Cup with the Avs, then returned Friday afternoon in a trade completed just before the deadline. “It was emotional,” Kadri said. “Just seeing the support I get here, it was absolutely incredible. Just makes me want to play harder for these fans and this team.” FOOTNOTE: Avs captain Gabe Landeskog missed the game is “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury. Landeskog got hit in the groin area with a Cale Makar shot during the second period Friday night, but finished the game and played nearly 23 minutes in the 5-4 shootout win. He took nine shifts in the third period. “It’s a lower-body injury, not a comfortable one,” Bednar said. “That’s the timeframe the doctor gave us.” Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis. ...read more read less