Home HOCKEY NHL NHL Recap: Avalanche Outlast Wild 9-6 in Goal-Filled Game 1 to Take Series Lead

NHL Recap: Avalanche Outlast Wild 9-6 in Goal-Filled Game 1 to Take Series Lead

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Avalanche Vs Wild
Colorado survives minnesota comeback, wins second round opener

Minnesota erased an early three-goal deficit to take a lead in the second, but Colorado responded with four unanswered in the third to win at Ball Arena.
 

Thirteen Avalanche players recorded a point in the win, while the Wild got scoring from 11 skaters in a chaotic, high-scoring playoff opener...


The Colorado Avalanche outlasted the Minnesota Wild 9-6 in a high-scoring opener to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, with the Presidents’ Trophy winners taking Game 1.


Colorado, coming off a sweep of the Los Angeles Kings, jumped ahead quickly and built a 3-0 lead in the first period.


Sam Malinski got Colorado on the board first, taking a pass from Martin Necas and putting it past the goalie.




The West’s top seed made it 2-0 under a minute later when Jack Drury pounced on a Minnesota turnover and beat Jesper Wallstedt with a quick shot.




Colorado kept piling on and made it 3-0 minutes later when Artturi Lehkonen cashed in on the power play. He finished off a setup from Nathan MacKinnon, sending the home crowd at Ball Arena into celebration.




At that point it looked like a blowout was coming. The Avalanche outshot Minnesota 16-9 in the period, and the Wild risked letting the score get away from them.


With 5 minutes left before the break, Minnesota got one back. After a scramble along the boards, the puck came to Marcus Johansson and he buried it from close range.


A minute after that it was 3-2. Quinn Hughes delivered a slick backhand pass to Ryan Hartman in front, and the center finished to pull the Wild within one.




Colorado struck again 4:16 into the second when a breakaway ended with Valeri Nichushkin setting up Nick Blankenburg to beat Jesper Wallstedt.

 


This game had no shortage of swings, and despite falling behind 3-0 early, the Wild responded with three straight in the second to take the lead.


Vladimir Tarasenko took a pass from Yakov Trenin and drove in alone on Scott Wedgewood. The 34-year-old stayed calm, made a move, and finished cleanly to score.



Quinn Hughes later tied it up in the period, getting a stick on Danila Yurov’s shot and redirecting it in.




Minnesota went down a man after Brock Faber was called for hooking, but still managed to grab the lead. A Colorado turnover sprung Marcus Foligno the other way, and he capitalized to put the Wild ahead for the first time.




With the way this game was going, it was only a matter of time before another goal came. Colorado tied it 69 seconds later. Right after Minnesota killed the penalty, Devon Toews fired into traffic and got a deflection that sent it past the goalie.




Colorado took control in the third. Cale Makar found too much space on the right wing and ripped a shot past Wallstedt, putting the Avalanche back on top.



Nazem Kadri extended it to 7-5 after Ross Colton fed him from a blocked shot. Left wide open, Kadri finished with precision to make it a two-goal game.




Colorado seemed to have breathing room, but Mats Zuccarello made it a tense finish. A pass from Matthew Boldy caused confusion in front of the net, and Zuccarello capitalized with a tap-in from close range.


The Avalanche closed it out anyway. Makar scored his second of the night, firing from the right wing through traffic and into the net.




Nathan MacKinnon sealed it with an empty-netter with 2:08 left after Minnesota couldn’t mount another comeback.


Thirteen different Avalanche players recorded a point, while 11 Wild players did the same, underlining how chaotic the game was.


Colorado now leads the series 1-0 heading into Game 2 on Tuesday night.




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