DENVER – It’s almost statistically impossible for Minnesota to catch Colorado in the standings with a month to play. But between now and the night the Avalanche hang their seemingly inevitable “2026 Central Division Champions” banner at Ball Arena, the Wild are determined to make life difficult for their historic rivals.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood, right, stops a shot by Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

On Sunday afternoon, Nathan MacKinnon scored the decisive goal in a shootout, lifting the Avalanche to a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Wild in their final meeting of the regular season.

Kirill Kaprizov and Nico Sturm scored in the third period for the Wild, who trailed 1-0, led 2-1, then managed to get a point.

Jesper Wallstedt was stellar in goal for Minnesota, with 33 saves in the loss. And when it was over, after splitting the season series, the Wild said they would be happy to see Colorado again in May.

“I thought all the games were competitive and the season series was split, so tonight was no different,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “It was two teams going at it pretty hard, and it’s fun to be a part of games like that.”

Minnesota’s penalty killers had a busy night, keeping the high-powered Avalanche offense off the board during a collective 10 minutes with a Wild player in the box.

“I really feel like I got right into the game with a power play right away, the altitude,” Wallstedt said. “It felt like I got going right away, in a good way.”

MacKinnon was called for interference with 63 seconds left in overtime, giving the Wild a 4-on-3 advantage. Had this been international hockey, MacKinnon’s penalty would have made him ineligible to participate in the shootout. But he was able to take part under NHL rules.

The first period was all about the goalies, specifically Wallstedt, who had 14 saves and kept the Avalanche from grabbing the momentum despite a pair of Wild penalties that had Colorado’s power play clicking. Minnesota lost third liner Danila Yurov for a few shifts when he took a puck to the head and left the bench, but he returned to finish the period.

After killing another penalty early in the middle frame, the Wild power play finally got a chance when defenseman Zach Bogosian took a high stick to the face. Minnesota managed just one shot on the man-advantage – a dangerous Vladimir Tarasenko backhander that Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood turned aside.

The Avalanche finally broke the scoreless deadlock late in the second when Minnesota turned over the puck behind its own net and Nazem Kadri – acquired at the trade deadline from Calgary – fed a pass to MacKinnon. The quick shot that fooled Wallstedt was MacKinnon’s NHL-leading 43rd of the season.

The goal seemed to wake up the visitors, who made a late second period push, which included Matt Boldy’s shot from the high slot that beat Wedgewood but clanked the left goalpost.

For the period, Minnesota outshot Colorado 14-12, but MacKinnon’s shot was the only one that mattered.

The Wild, who have not been shut out this season, evened the score early in the third on their second power play of the game. Kaprizov’s low shot beat Wedgewood on the stick side with Joel Eriksson Ek creating traffic at the front of the net.

With Colorado on its fourth power play a short time later, Brock Faber’s hard shot from behind his own net caused a Colorado turnover in the neutral zone, springing Sturm on a shorthanded breakaway and giving the visitors the lead.

“It was a really good effort, and it’s two great hockey teams playing against each other,” said Sturm, who had not scored since a Jan. 2 game at Anaheim. “Tonight we got the short end, but I think it was a commendable effort.”

After Colorado tied the game again, the Wild had a late third period power play, but Wedgewood kept it knotted this time. He finished with 32 saves for the Avalanche, and allowed only a Boldy goal in the shootout.

It was the Wild debut for Nick Foligno, acquired at the trade deadline from Chicago, and currently the only Foligno playing for the Wild, while his younger brother Marcus recovers from a lower body injury that has him out week to week.

Nick started on the fourth line wing, with Sturm on the other wing and Michael McCarron at center. Newcomers Robby Fabbri and Jeff Petry were healthy scratches.

The Wild next return to St. Paul and will play six of their next seven at Grand Casino Arena, starting Tuesday night versus the Utah Mammoth.

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TORONTO — Kelly Pannek scored an overtime winner to lead the Minnesota Frost over the Toronto Sceptres 3-2 on Sunday in the PWHL.

The Frost, who played without captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, picked up their first win in their second game following the Olympic break. Minnesota was coming off a shutout loss to the Montreal Victoire.

Toronto extended its point streak to four games despite the loss.

Forward Taylor Heise was in on all three goals for Minnesota. Her power-play slap pass set up Pannek for the winning goal, seconds after Toronto’s Renata Fast was sent off for slashing.

Heise tied the game in the third period on another power play, beating Sceptres goalie Raygan Kirk with a slap shot. She fed Denisa Krisova on a breakaway for the Frost’s first goal in the first period.

Daryl Watts had a goal and assist for Toronto. Emma Woods had the other goal for the Sceptres.

Frost goalie Maddie Rooney made 22 saves for the win.

Toronto entered the game in sixth place but lost crucial points by failing to hold onto its third-period lead as the standings tighten ahead of the Walter Cup playoffs.

Up next
The Frost will host the Seattle Torrent on Wednesday.

The Sceptres will play the Torrent on March 15.

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Frost overpower Goldeneyes

After spending more than $300 million last year to upgrade their roster, the Vikings enter free agency needing to be a lot more strategic. They won’t be able to splurge nearly as much this time around.

That doesn’t mean the Vikings can be complacent. They still need to be as aggressive as possible as they address their weaknesses.

After entering last week more than $40 million over the cap, the Vikings made a series of moves to ensure they’ll have some money to spend. That includes renegotiating the contract of veteran tight end T.J. Hockenson to save more than $5 million. They could have nearly $30 million at their disposal.

The legal tampering period begins Monday at 11 a.m. That’s the unofficial start to free agency across the NFL as teams can start negotiating with unrestricted free agents and agreeing to terms on contracts.

Here are some questions the Vikings must answer in free agency:

Who will compete at quarterback?

The only quarterbacks the Vikings currently have under contract are J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer. That’s not good enough. There’s a need for competition at the position after McCarthy underwhelmed.

It’s been widely speculated the Vikings have their eyes fixated on Kyler Murray once he hits the open market. Other options expected to be available include Geno Smith, Daniel Jones, Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers.

It’s worth noting the Vikings won’t be able to negotiate with Murray until he is officially released by the Arizona Cardinals. It sounds like Murray might take some visits before he makes his final decision.

Who will complement at running back?

The fact the Vikings plan to release Aaron Jones will create a big opportunity for Jordan Mason. It will also spark some urgency to provide him with a running back that complements his skill set.

It’s likely the Vikings target somebody that provides a chance of pace and also thrives as a pass catcher. A few names that fit the mold include Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White and J.K. Dobbins.

There’s also a chance the Vikings could wait until the draft to find another running back. That would give them the ability to select a young prospect that comes with more upside.

Who will provide depth at receiver?

The assumption is that the Vikings won’t be able to afford Jalen Nailor once the offers start rolling in. He’s an ascending player that seems destined for an increased role elsewhere.

That means the Vikings will need to add another receiver to play alongside with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The only other receivers under contract at the moment are Tai Felton and Myles Price. They need somebody with more experience.

There are many ways the Vikings could go in search of depth, including Darnell Mooney, Rashid Shaheed, Keenan Allen or Kendrick Bourne.

Who will fill the void left at center?

It was no surprise Ryan Kelly recently announced his retirement. He has suffered a number of concussions in his career.

Now the Vikings must find a center that can hold it down in the middle of the offensive line. It’s unlikely that they’ll be willing to move forward with Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens as the starter.

There are a host of potential candidates the Vikings could pursue, including Tyler Linderbaum, Tyler Biadasz and Luke Fortner.

Who will be replace veterans at defensive tackle?

After signing Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to big contracts last year, the Vikings are already preparing to move on from them. They have reportedly informed Allen and Hargrave of their impending release.

That leaves the Vikings with a gaping hole at defensive tackle in the short term. Though the emergence of Jalen Redmond gives them a foundational piece, they could opt to bring in a veteran like Dalvin Tomlinson or David Onyemata to pair with him.

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The U.S. and Israeli militaries bombarded Iranian military targets and vital energy infrastructure Sunday, as Iran tried to project stability by announcing that top clerics were finalizing their selection of a new supreme leader.

There was no sign of an off-ramp for the fighting. Water desalination plants came under attack in Iran and on the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain over the weekend and strikes on facilities that serve civilians threatened to affect the lives of millions of people across the Middle East.

The Pentagon said a seventh U.S. service member had died, a week after being wounded in an Iranian attack on a military base in Saudi Arabia where U.S. troops were stationed. And President Donald Trump warned in an interview with ABC News that whoever is selected as the next supreme leader “is not going to last long” without the approval of the United States.

Iranian state television said that the country’s top clerics were close to naming a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ruler killed in the opening blow of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran last weekend. The channel did not say who the new leader might be, but officials who spoke to The New York Times previously said Mojtaba Khamenei, the ayatollah’s son, was the front-runner.

U.S. Central Command urged Iranian civilians to stay at home, suggesting that the United States could strike densely populated areas from which it said Iranian forces often launch drone strikes and ballistic missiles.

Earlier Sunday, dense, oily clouds from strikes on fuel depots settled over Tehran, Iran’s capital, according to residents and video. “With the fire it felt like night became day, and then with all the smoke the day turned back into night again,” said Aryan, 33, a resident who requested anonymity to avoid possible retribution by Iranian authorities.

Israel’s military said it had targeted the fuel depots because they were being used by Iran’s military, and a senior U.S. military official said U.S. forces were targeting sites affiliated with Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, as well as missile sites and air defenses.

Iran retaliated by firing barrages of missiles and drones across the Persian Gulf and Israel, some of which hit critical civilian infrastructure. Gulf countries depend almost entirely on desalination for drinking water.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the strike on the facility in Bahrain came only after the United States had hit an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island, affecting the water supply for 30 villages. “The U.S. set this precedent, not Iran,” he said on social media.

Here’s what else we’re covering:

— Migrant worker deaths: Saudi Arabia reported its first civilian deaths: Two foreign residents — one Indian national and one Bangladeshi national — were killed, and 12 more Bangladeshi residents were injured, after a “military projectile” fell on their residence in the Kharj region, according to the kingdom’s civil defense authority. Migrant workers have been among the most heavily affected by Iranian attacks in the Persian Gulf countries.

— Death toll: The death toll in Iran remained shrouded in uncertainty. Last week, the Red Crescent Society said nearly 800 people had been killed, but it has not provided an official update to that figure in recent days. On Friday, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. put the number of dead at more than 1,300.

— School strike: Trump on Saturday blamed Iran for an airstrike that hit an elementary school in Iran on Feb. 28, killing scores of children. A Times visual investigation indicates that the school was most likely hit by a U.S. airstrike.

— Beirut attacks: An Israeli airstrike hit a hotel in central Beirut on Sunday, killing at least four people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it had attacked commanders in the Quds Force special forces, a branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard that helps manage Iranian ties to proxy militias across the region. The death toll from the Israeli military operation in Lebanon has risen to almost 400, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Sunday.

— Hezbollah funerals: Villagers in eastern Lebanon buried eight people, most identified as Hezbollah fighters, killed in fighting with Israeli forces overnight into Saturday. Mourners praised the dead for their defiance of Israel.

— Gas prices: As oil has jumped in price on the global market, so has gasoline at U.S. service stations. Since the start of the conflict, average gas prices have risen 16%, after going up another 4 cents a gallon Sunday, according to data from the AAA motor club.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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