Game Two Tilt

Minnesota Wild (4-3, C3) @ Colorado Avalanche (5-0, C1) 

6 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: ESPN, ESPN App | Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM), Altitude Sports Radio App 

After a 15-goal Game One, the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild face off at Ball Arena for Game Two on Tuesday. 

Game One: MIN 6, COL 9

Weekend Win 

The Avalanche defeated the Wild 9-6 in Game One of Round Two on Sunday at Ball Arena. Cale Makar scored twice, while Sam Malinski, Jack Drury, Artturi Lehkonen, Nick Blankenburg, Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon all added a tally for the Avs. Sunday’s game marked the first time in franchise playoff history that the Avalanche scored nine goals and had eight different goalscorers. Additionally, Martin Necas posted three assists and Valeri Nichushkin recorded two helpers. Malinski opened the scoring 11:12 into the game with his first-career Stanley Cup Playoff goal via a right-circle shot set up by Necas’ feed. The Avs took a 2-0 lead at 12:04 of the opening frame when Drury scored his first goal of the playoffs via a shot from the bottom of the right circle after a headfake set up by Logan O’Connor, who started the play with a successful forecheck that resulted in an offensive-zone takeaway below the goal line. Lehkonen made it 3-0 on the power play at 13:13 of the first period with his third goal of the playoffs via a shot from the left circle set up by MacKinnon’s cross-ice feed. At 15:02 of the first period, Marcus Johansson put the Wild on the board with a turnaround shot from the slot. Ryan Hartman made it 3-2 at 16:04 of the first period via a shot from the doorstep.  

Scoring his first playoff goal, Blankenburg gave the Avs a 4-2 lead at 4:16 of the second period via a shot from the doorstep off the rush set up by Nichushkin’s feed. At 6:45 of the middle frame, Vladimir Tarasenko made it 4-3 via a shot off the rush. Quinn Hughes tied the game for Minnesota at 12:43 of the second period via a shot from the point. The Wild took a 5-4 lead when Marcus Foligno scored a shorthanded breakaway at 16:55 of the second period. Toews tied the game at 18:04 of the middle frame with his second goal of the playoffs via a shot from the point that was redirected on its way to the net. 

At 3:21 of the third period, Makar put the Avalanche ahead 6-5 with his third goal of the playoffs via a right-circle shot set up by MacKinnon’s feed shortly after Landeskog won a left-circle face-off. Kadri gave Colorado a 7-5 lead at 5:43 of the third period with his first goal of the playoffs via a right-circle shot off the rush on a partial breakaway that was assisted by Ross Colton’s feed. Minnesota cut its deficit to one when Mats Zuccarello scored via a deflection from the slot at 16:01 of the third period. Makar gave the Avs an 8-6 lead when he scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the playoffs at 17:06 of the third period via a right-circle shot. Colorado made it 9-6 at 17:52 of the final frame when MacKinnon scored his third goal of the playoffs via an empty-net tally.

Leading the Way

Nate the Great

MacKinnon is tied for the Avalanche lead in points (7) while ranking third in assists (4) and tied for third in goals (3).  

Toewser Laser

Among NHL defensemen, Toews is tied for third in points (7) and ranks tied for fifth in assists (5) and goals (2). 

All Hail Cale

Makar leads NHL blueliners and is tied for fifth in the league in goals (4) while ranking tied for ninth among defensemen in points (5). 

Series History

The Avalanche and Wild have met in the playoffs on three previous occasions, all in the First Round, with Minnesota winning in 2003 and 2014 in seven games while Colorado was victorious in six contests in 2008. 

Scoring Against the Wild

MacKinnon has posted 13 points (3g/10a) in eight playoff games against the Wild, in addition to 70 points (27g/43a) in 55 regular-season contests. 

Gabriel Landeskog has recorded five points (3g/2a) in eight playoff contests against Minnesota, along with 46 points (21g/25a) in 52 regular-season games. 

Makar has registered three points (2g/1a) in one playoff game against the Wild, in addition to 26 points (6g/20a) in 29 regular-season contests. 

Lighting the Lamp in the Land of 10,000 Lakes

Hughes leads the Wild in points, is tied for first in assists (8) and ranks tied for second in goals (3). 

Matt Boldy leads the Wild in goals (6) while ranking tied for second in points (10) and tied for third in assists (4). 

Kirill Kaprizov is tied for the Wild lead in assists (8) while ranking tied for second in points (10) and tied for fifth in goals (2). 

A Numbers Game

132

MacKinnon’s 132 points (58g/74a) in his first 100-career playoff games are the sixth most by a player in NHL history through their first 100 postseason contests. 

26

Makar’s 26-career playoff goals are the most among active NHL defensemen.  

11

Colorado’s 11 third-period goals in the playoffs rank tied for second in the NHL. 

Quote That Left a Mark

“He was awesome. He’s definitely a rock for us all year. [It’s] good to see him get rewarded with some points. He’s such a good player.” 

-- Nathan MacKinnon on Devon Toews, who posted four points (1g/3a) in Game One against the Wild