The Avalanche have won six straight postseason games, tying the 2021 team for the franchise’s longest winning streak to begin the playoffs.
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This game featured a little more defense than the eruption of 9-6 in Game 1. The Avalanche’s 14 goals are the most in the first two games of a playoff series since the Calgary Flames scored 15 against the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.
Martín Necas, Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy scored their first goals of the series. Valeri Nichushkin added an empty-net goal in the final seconds. Twelve different Avalanche players scored in the series, an NHL record for the first two games of a series.
“It’s great. I mean, right now, that’s what you need,” defenseman Cale Makar said. “Everyone needs to contribute and we are finding ways to do that. There are a lot of minds right now.”
Scott Wedgewood made 29 saves on a night in which he made contact (he was hit into the net on one occasion) and knocked a puck out of his mask, leading to some quick repairs. It was a bounce-back performance after allowing six goals in Game 1.
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“It’s been amazing for us,” Roy said. “You can feel the confidence he has and it comes through the lineup.”
The savage left with Gustavsson in net after Jesper Wallstedt conceded eight goals in the 9-6 loss. Gustavsson got off to a rough start, allowing goals on the first two shots of the first half and the first shot of the second. He calmed down and finished with 18 saves.
“Very good. Nothing special,” Gustavsson said of how he felt Tuesday. “Not bad, not good.”
The series moves to Minnesota for game three on Saturday.
The Avalanche are 18-2 in best-of-seven playoff series, winning their first two games since moving to Denver in 1995-96.
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Kirill Kaprizov and Marcus Johansson scored goals for the Wild. Tempers flared in the third, with Parker Kelly fighting with Matt Boldy and hitting the linesman with his glove. No penalties were called.
Colorado withstood a late rush by the Wild after they pulled Gustavsson for an extra skater late in the game. Boldy took a big hit from MacKinnon along the boards.
The game came down to special teams. The Avalanche went 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Wild went 0-for-2.
“It’s not good enough,” said Boldy, whose team is missing two important pieces: forward Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin are sidelined with lower-body injuries. “We know. It’s up to us. We have to make adjustments and be much better.”
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Necas gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead in the first period, but just six seconds later Kaprizov tied it. The six-second difference between the goals tied the fifth-fastest goal by either team in postseason history, according to NHL Stats.
Landeskog later added a power-play score on a pass from MacKinnon, who tallied two assists in the first period of his 21st career multi-point playoff period. He surpassed Hall of Famer Joe Sakic for the most in franchise history.
“I’m just excited to play playoff hockey,” said MacKinnon, whose team scored five or more goals in three consecutive postseason games for the fifth time in franchise history. “Obviously the best time of the year.”