Don’t look now, but the Avalanche are playing for first place on Wednesday

It doesn’t all come down to this, but it very well might.

Fresh off a 5-1 win over the hapless Ducks on Monday night, the Avalanche are enjoying a well-earned Tuesday off. And then they’ll amp up for perhaps the biggest game of the season.

Colorado will welcome rival Minnesota to Ball Arena Wednesday night, with first place in the Central Division on the line. The Avs have 94 points, but have only played 73 games. The Wild sit at 95 points, but have skated in 74 games.

Wednesday night’s matchup at home against the Wild will be a big one.

Avalanche will have a chance to move into sole possession of first place in the Central Division with a regulation or overtime win.

It’s nationally televised as well.

— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) March 28, 2023

It’s an oversimplification to say whoever wins this showdown will win the division, but it’ll also be a major factor in which team emerges on top. At one point the Avalanche looked like they’d be battling for a playoff spot, now after a long climb, they’re finally in position to take over the top spot in the central.

Colorado’s won three games in a row and is a squeaky clean 9-1-0 over its last 10 games. They’ve outscored opponents 22-6 over their last five victories. They’re not just winning, they’re winning big.

And the Dallas Stars have cooled off a bit, as they sit at 92 points and just 2-3-1 over their last six games. However, they play Chicago and Arizona before visiting the Avs on Saturday night, so that’s four points they will likely capture. That game over the weekend could be just as big as tomorrow’s against the Wild.

Will postseason seeding ultimately matter for the Avalanche? Maybe, maybe not. You always want home-ice, but they also went a perfect 7-0 on the road in the Western Conference playoffs a season ago. In some cases, they looked more comfortable in hostile territory, embracing the role of the villain.

We’ll see how it all shakes out, but buckle up, because the next two games are perhaps the most crucial thus far.

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