CALGARY, Alberta — The Avalanche's current two-game trip against possible late-round Western Conference playoff opponents leads the team into Tuesday's series rubber match against the Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome.

The Avs, based on how they played in Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss at Minnesota, are confident they'll again play well in the third and final regular-season game against Calgary. The Flames (88 points), who have an overtime win and regulation loss against the Avs, stand second in the Western Conference, trailing NHL-leading Colorado by 10 points. The Wild (84) are third in the conference.

"At this point of the year, obviously, there are big points on the line, and I think you also want to establish your game going into these last (16) games," newly acquired forward Nico Sturm said after Sunday's OT loss against his former team. "(The Wild) are a possible opponent in the playoffs and you want to show them that you're ready for playoff hockey. I think it was pretty close to playoff hockey."

With a victory against the Flames, Colorado will reach 100 points for the first time in an 82-game full season since 2013-14. The Avs were on pace to surpass 100 points in 2019-20 before the regular season ended prematurely because of the pandemic, and they would have likely reached 100 points last season if it wasn't shortened to 56 games.

Colorado will finally welcome trade-deadline acquisition Artturi Lehkonen to the lineup Tuesday. The Finnish forward finally cleared immigration on Monday and was scheduled to join the team Tuesday.

The Avs are 5-1-1 in their last seven games, a stretch that began with a 3-0 victory over the Flames on March 13 at Ball Arena. Calgary beat Colorado 4-3 in overtime on March 5, also in Denver.

The Avalanche has outshot its last two opponents a combined 93-60, including 42-29 on Sunday. Two Minnesota power-play goals were the difference at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

"I think we out-played them most of the game," Avs winger Mikko Rantanen said postgame. "We had a lot of chances in the first two (periods), didn't capitalize. Then we fight back, then they get one goal on 5-on-5 and two power-play goals. If you look at those penalties, I don't know, I think if I comment too much I would be in big trouble, so I'm not going to say anything."

Footnotes. Avalanche star center Nathan MacKinnon registered his eighth career NHL fight, according to hockeyfights.com, early in the third period Sunday. He took on Wild defenseman Matt Dumba after Dumba's big center-ice check on Rantanen. "Tells how good of a teammate he is, and he did good," Rantanen said of MacKinnon, who produced the only big punch of the fight before driving Dumba to the ice. … The Avs were 1-for-3 on the power play Sunday and have now scored with the man advantage in seven consecutive games. They are a sizzling 9-for-21 (42.9%) over that span.