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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Chuck Kobasew had a hat trick and Andrew Brunette scored the winning goal on a power midway through the third period Friday, leading the Minnesota Wild past the Colorado Avalanche 5-3.

Kobasew added an empty-net goal with 17.9 seconds left to complete his second career hat trick. Owen Nolan scored once and Niklas Backstrom stopped 31 shots for Minnesota in the opener of a home-and-home series. Kobasew's other hat trick was Jan. 24, 2006, at Colorado.

Kyle Quincey, Paul Stastny and Chris Stewart scored for the Avalanche, 1-5-4 in its last 10 trips to Minnesota.

Brunette took a pass across the crease from Mikko Koivu and sent the puck over a sprawled Craig Anderson for the winner. It was his team-leading ninth goal and sixth on the power play. Minnesota, which was 2-for-20 on the power play in its last five games, scored twice with the man-advantage.

The teams meet again Saturday night in Denver.

In his second game back after missing the previous four with an upper-body injury, Kobasew helped to set up his own goal early in the second.

He knocked Quincey off the puck - and his skates - with a hit in the right circle. Enforcer Derek Boogaard corralled the loose puck, skated below the goal line and backhanded a pass to Kobasew alone in the slot where he beat Anderson on the stick side. It was Boogaard's first point since Dec. 19, 2008.

After Stastny scored on a rebound to tie the game, Kobasew took a feed from Andrew Brunette and again beat Anderson from the slot for a 3-2 Wild lead at the six-minute mark.

Stewart converted a 2-on-1 with Wojtek Wolski late in the period to tie the game. Wolski has five assists in his last six games.

Colorado nearly scored again when a shot from Cody McLeod was rolling on edge along the goal line, but in swiping at the puck in a rebound attempt, T.J. Galiardi inadvertently knocked the puck back to Backstrom.

Quincey scored on a one-timer and Nolan on a rebound in the first period.

NOTES: Colorado placed D Adam Foote on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 17 and recalled forward Chris Durno and defenseman Brain Fahey from AHL Lake Erie. Both were scratches. ... Minnesota placed D Brent Burns (concussion) and RW Martin Havlat (hamstring) on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 18 and recalled D Jamie Sifers from AHL Houston, but he did not suit up. ... Guillaume Latendresse, acquired Monday for Benoit Pouliot, played his first game for Minnesota. ... The Wild have played a home game the day after Thanksgiving each year in franchise history, going 6-2-1.