Both the Avalanche and Wild will start their series missing important players, but the injury bug has impacted Minnesota a bit more.

Joel Eriksson Ek, the top center on the Wild, did not travel with the team to Colorado and their head coach John Hynes confirmed that he will miss the first two games of the series. Eriksson Ek was injured in the third period of Game 6 against the Dallas Stars and did return, but has not been able to practice since with a lower-body injury.

“Hopeful for Game 3,” Hynes said.

Even with Eriksson Ek in the lineup, the Avalanche has the depth advantage down the middle. This stretches the Wild a bit more thin, as Hynes was still deciding which of Hunter Haight and Danila Yurov would replace Eriksson Ek in the lineup.

The Wild will also be without top-four defenseman Jonas Brodin, who is dealing with a lower-body injury of his own. He has also been ruled out for the first two games.

For the Avalanche, they were hopeful to get Josh Manson back in the lineup for Game 1, but that will not be the case. Coach Jared Bednar ruled him out after morning skate, meaning Nick Blankenburg will take his spot in the lineup just like he did in Game 4 against the Kings.

Manson is dealing with an upper-body injury and has skated each of the last three days. He went through a full practice with the team and had a long chat with Bednar after practice, but is not quite healthy enough to play.

The Avalanche and Wild will drop the puck at 7:10 p.m for Game 1 on Sunday.