A return to Grand Casino Arena, a three-day break and big nights from key players were all the Minnesota Wild needed to bounce back in their Western Conference Second Round series against the Colorado Avalanche.
Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber each had a goal and two assists, while Quinn Hughes added a goal and an assist to lead the Wild to a 5-1 win over the Avalanche on Saturday night in Game 3 of their best-of-7 series. Minnesota bounced back with a solid defensive effort after giving up 14 goals after losing the first two games in Denver. The Wild won a second-round game at home for the first time since May 9, 2014. They handed Colorado its first loss in seven games this postseason and evened the series with a win on Monday night.
Wild coach John Hynes went back to rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstad, who was replaced by Filip Gustavsson for Game 2 after allowing eight goals in a 9–6 series-opening loss. He justified Hines' decision by making 34 saves, allowing only Nathan MacKinnon's second-period power-play goal. Walstead played as he did in Minnesota's first-round series win against the Dallas Stars and gave Minnesota a solid night between the pipes.
He also got a lot of help. In addition to Kaprizov, Faber and Hughes, Ryan Hartman and Matt Boldy scored for the Wild, with Matt Zuccarello adding two assists.
Neither team made any continuous attack for the first 15 minutes. Colorado's Parker Kelly had the best chance around 11 minutes, but his backhander was denied at the right post by Volstad.
However, things opened up after roughing penalties to Kelly and Hartman at 14:54 and each team left with one man skating.
Kaprizov took advantage of open space to put the Wild ahead 1-0 at 15:11. He took a pass from Faber and raced to the middle of the Colorado zone, knocked Wedgewood to the ice and lifted the puck over himself.
Hughes, who had the second assist on Kaprizov's goal, made it 2–0 with a 4-on-3 power-play goal at 16:44. With Devon Toews hooking up, Hughes controlled a pass at the left point, made his way to the high slot and fired. Wedgwood had lost his stick, was screened by Kaprizov and was helpless as the shot passed him.
Hughes was called for an unnecessary cross-checking penalty at 17:42. But the Wild kicked the penalty without any trouble and ended the period with their first two-goal lead of the series.
Minnesota's power play came again at 4:23 of the second period and the score became 3–0. Zuccarello's shot hit Toes on its way to the net; Hartman got a piece of the airborne puck and put it in the net.
That was the end of the night for Wedgwood, who came into the game 6-0 with a 2.12 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. Mackenzie Blackwood, who had not played at all in Colorado's first seven games, replaced him.
MacKinnon got the Avs on the board at 13:11. Wallstedt made a save after Gabriel Landeskog took the puck to the net, but Wild defenseman Damon Hunt caught him and both men fouled Wallstedt. This caused the puck to sit just outside the crease; MacKinnon scored his 60th career playoff goal.
But before Wild fans had a chance to worry, Faber restored Minnesota's three-goal lead at 13:31. During a delayed penalty, Blackwood blocked Vladimir Tarasenko's shot near the left face-off dot. But the rebound hit him, bounced off Faber and slid past the goal line for a 4–1 lead.
Wallstadt stopped all 13 shots he faced in the third period. Boldy's 155-foot empty netter with four seconds remaining sealed the victory.
Highlights from Minnesota's 5-1 win over Colorado in Game 3
Big night for Kaprizov
"Kirill the Thrill" lived up to his nickname in Game 3.
The NHL's soon-to-be highest-paid player was named the game's first star on a night when he was seemingly everywhere. His compete level was off the charts, he went to the corners, got to the front of the net to screen Wedgwood on Hughes' goal, blocked two shots and finished plus-3.
"He was going tonight," Faber told TNT's postgame show. "When he's moving his hips, that's when he's playing fast. He's one of the best players in the league and one of the hardest workers. He was at his best tonight."
Volstad reclaimed the net
When you're down 2-0 in a series against the reigning NHL regular season champion, your goaltender needs to step up. That's exactly what Volstad did in Game 3, denied by the Avs' flurry of goals in Game 1 and benching in a 5-2 loss in Game 2.
Kelly being saved for the first time might have been the biggest highlight of the night. The game was scoreless when Volstad blocked his wide-open backhander and managed to keep the rebound out of the net. Instead, Wild were not playing from the back; After less than six minutes they were leading 2–0.
Barring injury, it's hard to imagine Hines changing goaltenders again.
Wild power play finally pays off
Minnesota was 0-for-5 with an extra man in two losses in Denver and 1-for-15 in its last five games before cashing in twice on Saturday.
The Wild cannot afford non-productive power plays when they are facing the NHL's top regular season team. Even with two PPG in Game 3, Minnesota is just 5 of 33 (15.1 percent) with the extra man. But the advantage the Wild gained by converting their first two chances was clear. By turning a 1–0 lead into a three-goal lead, Minnesota forced Colorado to chase the game – something that had not happened this postseason.
stat shots
Kaprizov's three-point night gave him 14 points, the most of all NHL players so far this postseason. Hughes is tied for second with Mitch Marner of the Vegas Golden Knights with 13 points.
Kaprizov extended his individual point streak against Colorado to 16 games (regular season and playoffs).
Faber (plus-12) and Kaprizov (plus-11) are 1-2 in plus-minus in the league through Saturday.
Zuccarello has nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games this postseason. He missed three times due to injuries but has at least one point in every game he has played.
