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Colorado is 8-1-1 in its last 10 games, averaging 3.8 goals, as it heads to the United Center to play the Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

The Colorado Avalanche finish their first back-to-back series of the new year 1-1-0. After a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, they came ready to play against the Minnesota Wild, who currently sit at 4th in the league and 2nd in the western conference.

The Wild won’t have to wait too long for a do-over — their rematch against the Avalanche is only 10 days away — but the impression they’ve left in the meantime is not of the team that soared ahead of Colorado in the Central Division.

The Minnesota Wild were missing their best player and top three defensemen, but if there's one team who will feel zero sympathy for them, it's the Colorado Avalanche.