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Report: Wild successfully lobby NHL, will open at home on Hockey Day in Minnesota

Minnesota Wild Introduce Zach Parise and Ryan Suter - Press Conference

ST PAUL, MN - JULY 9: Zach Parise #11 and Ryan Suter #20 of the Minnesota Wild are introduced during press conference on July 9, 2012 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

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The new-look Minnesota Wild will open the regular season with a home date against the Colorado Avalanche -- but it didn’t come without persuasion, according to the Star-Tribune’s Mike Russo.

An earlier report said the Wild would open at Colorado, meaning Zach Parise and Ryan Suter would make their Minnesota debuts on the road.

That’s something the Wild weren’t thrilled with, given owner Craig Leipold spent like crazy this summer to bring Parise and Suter aboard, a move he called “a game changer.”

Here’s more, from Russo:

The Wild’s opener was going to be AT Colorado on Jan. 19.

It is now back at home after the Wild made its case to the league that the team should open at home on the day this sport is celebrated in the great state of Minnesota. The league, after flipping some things around, has worked to accomodate the request.

So as of now, ... barring any other changes, the Wild is expected to open at home Jan. 19 against Colorado.

Russo notes the NHL schedule “has had a lot of moving parts” and things are still subject to change.

But it’s safe to assume this Wild game will go on as reported, and the Hockey Day in Minnesota tie-in probably played a role.

The event is an all-day affair celebrating various levels of in-state play. The Wild-Avalanche game will be preceded by a pair of high school contests, then a game between the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers -- the top-ranked team in collegiate hockey -- and rivals North Dakota.

For all the latest on potential Jan. 19 opening night games, click here.