Avalanche vs – Colorado responded in style with a 5-2 win in Game 4, powered by third-period goals and key special teams, to lead the series 3-1.
A jolt of momentum carried the Colorado Avalanche back into control on Monday night. and it came at exactly the right time.. Playing Game 4 of the second round in St.. Paul. Minnesota. the Avalanche used goals at pivotal moments—including a surge in the third period—to defeat the Wild 5-2 and move within one win of advancing to the Western Conference finals.
Ross Colton and Parker Kelly each found the back of the net in the third period for Colorado. with both strikes arriving during a stretch that often determines playoff games.. Their timing mattered: it was a response to the mid-series lull. and it helped swing the game after Minnesota had managed to stay within striking distance earlier on.
Mackenzie Blackwood earned the spotlight in his first postseason start, making 19 saves.. The night also carried context for his selection. since he had relieved Scott Wedgewood during Colorado’s Game 3 defeat earlier in the week.. The change in goaltending came as the series narrative flipped back toward the Avalanche. who made sure the rebound win was not merely cosmetic.
Nazem Kadri provided another lift for Colorado in the second period by scoring on the power play.. From there. Nathan MacKinnon—who briefly missed action to address a puck-caused bloody nose—and Brock Nelson added empty-net goals in the final minute. sealing the separation as the Wild pressed in search of answers.
Minnesota’s scoring did not disappear, but Colorado’s control sharpened.. Nico Sturm pulled the Wild level at 2 with his first goal of the postseason. coming roughly two minutes after Colton had given the Avalanche a 1-goal lead.. Even with the momentum shifts, Minnesota’s ability to respond quickly underscored how thin the margin remains in this matchup.
One of the clearest indicators of Colorado’s dominance came early.. The Avalanche outshot Minnesota 20-5 over roughly the first half. reflecting a high-energy offensive approach that put pressure on Jesper Wallstedt.. That first-half barrage mattered because the series history had made goals harder to come by. especially after the Wild adjusted in Game 3.
Colorado’s turnaround gains extra weight when placed against what came before.. After finishing the regular season atop the NHL in goals and compiling the league’s best record. the Avalanche erupted for 14 goals over the first two games.. In Game 3, however, they were pushed back when Minnesota’s goalie Wallstedt stood firm, helping snap Colorado’s scoring rhythm.
Beyond the scoreboard, there was a steady sense that the Avalanche were deepening their playoff footprint.. Colton and Kelly became the 15th and 16th different Avalanche players to score in just eight postseason games this spring. a statistic that speaks to how many options Colorado has been able to generate at high intensity.
For Minnesota, Danila Yurov made his postseason mark as well.. The rookie scored his first career playoff goal midway through the first period. doing so on a deflection during a four-minute power play that began after a double minor penalty on defender Josh Manson.. That kind of special-teams opportunity is often the difference between staying afloat and falling behind early, and Minnesota took advantage.
The result leaves the series at 3-1 in favor of Colorado, and it sets up Game 5 in Denver on Wednesday.. With the Avalanche now one victory away from the Western Conference finals. the next challenge is straightforward: keep building on the bounce-back that carried them through the third period and close out the opportunity before the Wild can claw their way back.
Avalanche vs Wild Game 4 result NHL playoffs Mackenzie Blackwood Nathan MacKinnon Ross Colton Parker Kelly