wild gameday

8 p.m. vs. Colorado • Xcel • NBCSN, 100.3-FM

Preview: The Wild, 7-4-2 in season openers and 11-0-2 in home openers, begins the 2014-15 season against the reigning Central Division champs and the team it eliminated in seven games in the Western Conference quarterfinals. This is the first of a home-and-home; the Wild plays in Denver on Saturday, then not again until at Anaheim next Friday. The Wild went 1-3-1 against the Avs last regular season and is 37-32-10 against them all-time, 20-14-5 at home.

Players to watch: RW Jason Pominville, who led the Wild with 30 goals last season, was second in the NHL in the preseason with eight points. LW Zach Parise had 10 points against the Avs last postseason and a four-point game against them in the regular season. RW Thomas Vanek and RW Ryan Carter will make their Wild debuts. G Darcy Kuemper, who gave up three goals in three home starts against Colorado in the playoffs, gets the opening night nod. Avalanche RW Jarome Iginla is the all-time leader against the Wild with 67 points, 37 goals, 236 shots and 10-game winners. He is second with 71 games played and 10 power-play goals. G Semyon Varlamov is 7-4-1 against the Wild with a 2.13 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in the regular season. C Nathan MacKinnon, last year's rookie of the year, had 10 points against the Wild in the playoffs.

Numbers: The Wild enters this season with a league-high 12 former NCAA players on its roster. … The Wild scored seven power-play goals this preseason.

Injuries: Wild RW Justin Fontaine (gluteus muscle) and D Keith Ballard (chest) are out. Avalanche LW Patrick Bordeleau (concussion) and C John Mitchell (migraines) are out.

MICHAEL RUSSO