Leave it to Colorado’s big deadline addition to make the difference in a game that had a playoff-like atmosphere to it.

Nazem Kadri picked up an assist on a second-period goal from Nathan MacKinnon as the Avalanche took down the Minnesota Wild in a thrilling game by a score of 3-2 on Sunday at Ball Arena. MacKinnon ended up scoring the shootout winner as Colorado’s fourth shooter.

Scott Wedgewood stopped three of the four shots he faced in the shootout, and Valeri Nichushkin scored Colorado’s other shootout goal.

For Kadri, it’s been a wild 48 hours. He arrived at DIA late Saturday night and said some fans who recognized him helped him with his bags.

The 35-year-old center played wing with MacKinnon and Martin Necas, so he was thrown right into everything. He hasn’t played a playoff game since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, so Sunday afternoon was a good warm-up for him.

“Felt exactly that way,” Kadri said of the playoff comparisons with that game. “I think it was nice to just immediately be thrown into the fire and understand what these games are going to be like. Obviously, I’m well aware of that, but I think when you play great teams, you elevate your play.”

Kadri made a great read on MacKinnon’s goal, picking off a Quinn Hughes reversal and setting up the leading goal scorer in the NHL all alone in the slot. Minnesota would score the next two, one on a power play and one shorthanded, before Nicolas Roy, Colorado’s other big addition at the trade deadline, tied the game up in the third period.

No goals were scored in overtime, which sent Colorado to its second straight shootout. The Avalanche have struggled in the skills competition this year, but they’ve now won two in a row. Good timing when it comes to figuring out the shootout, as the wins came against the two teams chasing them for the Central Division lead.

With the two wins, the Avalanche have created a bit more separation atop the Central Division. After this win, the Avalanche (temporarily) hold a nine-point lead atop the Central over the Dallas Stars and extended their lead over the Wild to 10 points. The Wild have played two more games than Colorado, while the Avalanche and Stars, as of the end of this game, had both played 62.

Avalanche 3, Wild 2

What happened: A playoff-like game came down to a shootout, just like two nights ago against the Stars.

What went right: The big guns have been scoring most of the goals lately, but Roy’s first in an Avalanche uniform was desperately needed. Roy showed his value in the third period, as he was tremendous along the walls, including a play he made protecting the puck just seconds before he tied the game up.

What went wrong: Before the game, it was announced that the Avalanche would be without Gabriel Landeskog, who is week to week with a lower-body injury. This injury is not related to his knee. Landeskog joked around with reporters in Dallas about where the shot from Cale Makar hit him last game, so you can guess what the injury is. “Not a comfortable one,” Bednar said. It was also a tough evening for Devon Toews, who might be seeing Matt Boldy in his sleep.

Avalanche goal scorers: MacKinnon (43), Roy (6)

Wild goal scorers: Kaprizov (36), Sturm (4)

Between the pipes: Scott Wedgewood got the start over Mackenzie Blackwood and played terrifically, stopping 32 shots.

What’s next: The Avalanche will host the Edmonton Oilers at 8 p.m. Tuesday.