The Colorado Avalanche are already reeling, and a visit by the Minnesota Wild could hurt their chances of turning things around just three weeks into the season.If recent history is any indication, Colorado is in trouble.The Wild have been a problem for the Avalanche since rallying to win their 2014 Western Conference quarterfinal series. Minnesota is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings with Colorado, including 4-0-1 at Pepsi Center in Denver, where the teams meet for a matinee game Saturday.Colorados problems go deeper than just overcoming Minnesota. The Avalanche lost four of the last five, managed one goal in their last two games and were outscored 6-1 in their last two home games.There obviously are some mistakes we can fix, center Matt Duchene told The Denver Post after Thursdays 4-0 loss in Chicago. I think at times were too quick with the puck or were having brain cramps with the puck. I think we can be a lot better creating offense like that and on the rush.First-year coach Jared Bednar switched Duchene to wing in the loss to the Blackhawks, putting him on a line with Nathan MacKinnon. It didnt produce a goal, but Duchene is encouraged by the chances he got playing with MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.We got some really good looks, he told The Denver Post. Mikko was flying. If we stay together I think we can be a good line.The Avalanche further shook things up by placing fourth-line center John Mitchell on waivers. The 31-year-old did not record a point in four games after missing the first five games with a hip injury. Mitchell is in the final year of his contract.A concussion kept Mitchell out of the playoff series in 2014, where Minnesota established dominance over Colorado by winning four of the last five games to advance.The Wild are a different team since that series -- at least at the top. Bruce Boudreau was named the head coach this summer, and he has Minnesota second in the Central Division.One of the many bright spots for the Wild is the play of 19-year-old rookie Joel Eriksson Ek. Ek has two goals and three assists in six games this season, and if he plays in 10 he will burn the first year of his three-year rookie contract.Ek is playing well enough to consider keeping him instead of returning him to his professional team in Sweden, Farjestad.Burning a year of the contract means very little, Minnesota general manager Fletcher told The Minneapolis Star-Tribune. I dont think it hurts the team, and I dont really think it helps the player, or vice versa. I dont care about the 10 games. If it takes us 20 or 30 games to figure it out, so be it.Like Bednar, Boudreau is shaking up his lines. Left winger Jason Zucker is moving up to the first line to skate with Eric Staal and Charlie Coyle.Our top six are really important because we depend on them to score goals, Boudreau told The Star-Tribune. JK Scott Super Bowl Jersey . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Geronimo Allison Super Bowl Jersey . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Jamaal-williams-packers-jersey/ . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Kenny Clark Super Bowl Jersey . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Aaron Jones Super Bowl Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. The Oakland Athletics claimed right-handed pitcher Josh Smith off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds, the two teams announced Friday.Smith, 29, posted a 4.68 ERA, struck out 48 batters and walked 26 over 59 2/3 innings last season. He was 3-3 in 32 appearances, two of which were starts.?The Reds allso announced that infielder Ivan De Jesus was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville.dddddddddddd De Jesus batted?.253/.311/.312 in 104 games with Cincinnati last season. ' ' '