Photo: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews, front, collects the puck as Minnesota Wild right wing Bobby Brink pursues in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored his NHL-leading 43rd goal and scored the winning goal in a shootout, lifting the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in a matchup between two of the NHL’s top four teams in points.

MacKinnon has 70 points in 55 career games against Minnesota, his most against any opponent.

Both teams converted on one of their first three shootout opportunities before Vladimir Tarasenko was stonewalled by Scott Wedgewood, giving MacKinnon the opportunity to deliver his team a win.

Wedgewood, who leads the NHL in goals against average and is second in save percentage, had 32 saves on 34 Minnesota shots.

Trailing 1-0 entering the third period, the Wild scored two goals in a stretch of 2:44, one on a power play and one short-handed, to take the lead. The Avalanche countered with a Nicolas Roy tip-in goal with 7:21 remaining to send the game into overtime.

It was the second meeting in the past 10 days in Denver between the teams, with the Wild winning 5-2 on Feb. 26.

Kirill Kaprizov scored his team-leading 36th goal of the season for the Wild, who had won eight of their previous 10 games. Nico Sturm also scored for Minnesota.

In his first game back with Colorado since being traded from the Calgary Flames on Friday, Nazem Kadri had an assist for the franchise he helped win a Stanley Cup in 2022.

The Avalanche were without captain Gabriel Landeskog, who the team said Sunday is week to week with a lower-body injury. Landeskog took a shot to the groin during Colorado’s shootout win against the Dallas Stars on Friday.

Up next

Wild: Host Utah on Tuesday.

Avalanche: Host Edmonton on Tuesday.

Broncos agree to a 3-year, $18M contract with inside linebacker Justin Strnad, AP source says

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos and inside linebacker Justin Strnad have agreed on a three-year, $18 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn't immediately announce the deal, which includes $10 million in guarantees.

Strnad, a 2020 fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest, has been an impressive replacement for injured starters the past two seasons.

A key special teams player throughout his five-year career in Denver, Strnad started eight games in 2024 when Alex Singleton tore an ACL and he stepped in with eight starts last season when Singleton missed a game after testicular cancer surgery and Dre Greenlaw dealt with thigh injuries.

Strnad is coming off his best season, one in which he had 58 tackles, one interception, three pass breakups, 4 1/2 sacks and eight quarterback hits for one of the top defenses in the league.

General manager George Paton said at the NFL scouting combine last month that the Broncos wanted to re-sign both Strnad and Singleton, also a free agent.

“We'd love to have them back regardless of what's in the draft,” Paton said. “We see those guys as Broncos. If we let them leave, what are we doing?"

Strnad's signing, however, could lead the Broncos to moving on from either Singleton or Greenlaw. Cutting Greenlaw would save Denver $6 million in cap space.