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To mark the halfway point of the 2024-25 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Hart Trophy, given annually to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team in the NHL as selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

With a little over a minute left in the second period, Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon made the Wild look silly when he deked Trenin and tied the game with his 18th goal of the season. It came on just the Avalanche's 11th shot on goal in two periods.

(AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading 53rd assist ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota to 12 shots on goal in the first two periods.

Without Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota played a smart, poised and gutsy game, pulling away in the third for a 3-1 victory at Ball Arena.

MacKinnon is the most likely Avalanche player to take advantage of a Wild defense that is bleeding shots. Not only is he the best shot-generator on the team, but the Wild have allowed the second-most shots to centers in the NHL over the past few weeks.

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ST PAUL, Minn. — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading 53rd assist of the season to help the Colorado Avalanche rout the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Thursday night. Mikko Rantanan and Logan O’Connor also each had a goal and an assist, Ross Colton, Parker Kelly and Artturi Lehkonen also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota ...

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL-leading ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota ...

(AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and his NHL ... But playing without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and their top three defensemen took its toll against the Avalanche, who held Minnesota ...