Yakov Trenin and Brock Faber score 3rd period goals in the Wild's 3-1 win over the Avalanche

DENVER (AP) — Yakov Trenin scored against his former team early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Monday.

Jake Middleton had a goal and an assist, Brock Faber also scored and Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves for Minnesota.

The game was tied entering the third period but Trenin gave the Wild a 2-1 lead with a wrister in the slot that beat Mackenzie Blackwood at 2:08. Faber scored 1:35 later to make it a two-goal game.

Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL leader in points, had tied the game with 1:08 left in the second with his 18th goal of the season.

Blackwood came off for an extra skater for the last 3:27 but the Avs couldn’t score.

Wild: Without some key players, including captain Jared Spurgeon and leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota played a solid road game after allowing six goals to the Avs in St. Paul on Jan. 9. The Avalanche had only five shots on goal midway through the game and had few scoring opportunities. They improved to an NHL-best 17-5-3 on the road.

Avalanche: Colorado continued to struggle on the power play. They didn’t have a shot on goal with their first opportunity but did generate chances on their second power play. Colorado has just seven goals in its last 59 opportunities.

With time running out in the first period, Ryan Hartman backhanded a pass through the slot to David Jiricek, but Blackwood slid over to make a pad save and keep it 1-0 heading into the second period. It was one of several big saves he made.

The Avalanche had 11 shots through the first two periods and put 16 on Fleury in the third period.

The Wild host Utah on Thursday night. The Avalanche wrap up their five-game homestand Wednesday night against Winnipeg.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Colorado Avalanche left wing Jonathan Drouin, left, fights for control of the puck with Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek, left, redirects the puck at Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, front left, passes the puck as Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, back left, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood defend in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Wild defenseman Declan Chisholm, right, pursues the puck with Colorado Avalanche center Juuso Parssinen in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, front, makes a save of a redirected shot off the stick of Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen, back left, as Minnesota center Frederick Gaudreau looks on in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Parker Kelly, right, passes the puck as Minnesota Wild defensemen Zach Bogosian, left, and Jon Merrill cover in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, front, clears the puck after checking Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber, left, knocks the puck away from Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, right, in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, left, loses control of the puck while driving between Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton, front right, and center Marco Rossi in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson, right, collects the puck as Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) at Denver (13-3)

Sunday, 4:25 EST, CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Broncos by 12 1/2.

Against the spread: Chargers 8-7-1; Broncos 6-9-1.

Series record: Broncos lead 72-58-1.

Last meeting: Chargers beat Broncos 23-20 on Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, California.

Last week: Chargers lost to Texans 20-16; Broncos beat Chiefs 20-13.

Chargers offense: overall (12), rush (12), pass (15), scoring (T-16).

Chargers defense: overall (4), rush (9), pass (6), scoring (7).

Broncos offense: overall (9), rush (19), pass (9), scoring (14).

Broncos defense: overall (3), rush (2), pass (8), scoring (4).

Turnover differential: Chargers plus-4 ; Broncos minus-5.

QB Trey Lance is making his sixth career start and first for the Chargers. He's appeared in three games this season, completing 7 of 13 passes for 90 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and two sacks.

WR Courtland Sutton surpassed 1,000 yards last week, but he dropped a touchdown pass and caught just four of the 10 passes Bo Nix threw his way. Sutton has 73 receptions for 1,012 yards and seven TDs this season, a similar output to last year when he caught 81 passes for 1,081 yards and eight TDs.

The Chargers offensive line and backup QB versus Denver's dominant pass rush. The Broncos have had a franchise-record and NFL-best 64 sacks so far and are within striking distance of the NFL record of 72 set by the 1984 Chicago Bears, who had a dozen in their season finale that year.

Chargers: Coach Jim Harbaugh said he's sitting QB Justin Herbert (left hand) for the finale along with several other starters. Rookie RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) missed practice time this week as did CB Nikko Reed (hamstring) and OL Jamaree Salyer (hamstring). Harbaugh said he doesn't expect Salyer to play Sunday.

Broncos: LB Dre Greenlaw has been dealing with a hamstring injury and won't play in the finale. WR Pat Bryant (concussion), TE Nate Adkins (knee) and DL John Franklin-Meyers (hip) were limited in practice this week.

The Chargers have won all three games against Denver and Sean Payton with Jim Harbaugh as head coach. All three have been one-score games.

The Chargers clinched a playoff berth for the second straight season, the first time that's happened since they reached the postseason four consecutive times from 2006-09. ... The Bolts are coming off a 20-16 loss to Houston in which they were 2 of 5 in the red zone while the defense allowed a pair of rare long touchdown passes to open the game. K Cameron Dicker missed a field goal from inside 40 yards for the first time in his career and pulled an extra point wide for the first time this season. ... The Chargers are the only team that's unbeaten (5-0) in the AFC West this season. ... RB Omarion Hampton has a touchdown in three of his past four games. ... WR Quentin Johnston is coming off a 98-yard performance in Week 17. ... WR Keenan Allen had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown against Denver in Week 3. ... The Broncos were the first team to clinch a playoff spot and can earn the AFC's No. 1 overall seed with a win Sunday. The Broncos won the AFC West for the first time since 2015, ending the Kansas City Chiefs' nine-year reign atop the division. ... Broncos QB Bo Nix is tied for the second-most victories over the first two seasons at his position with 23. With a win Sunday, he'll tie Russell Wilson's NFL record of 24 wins in his first two seasons. ... Nix needs one TD pass to become the fourth QB in NFL history with at least 25 in each of his first two seasons. ... Nix is the third player ever, joining Herbert and Peyton Manning, with 3,500-plus passing yards and 25 or more TD passes in each of his first two NFL seasons. ... RB RJ Harvey leads rookies with a dozen TDs this season. He's scored a TD in five consecutive games. ... LB Nik Bonitto had two sacks in Week 3 against the Chargers.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden (86) celebrates his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)