Eight Different Avalanche Players Score in 9-6 Back-and-Forth Game One Win Over Wild

Game One Win

Cale Makar scored twice and was one of the Avalanche's eight goal-scorers as Colorado defeated the Minnesota Wild 9-6 in Game One of Round Two at Ball Arena on Sunday. Sam Malinski, Jack Drury, Artturi Lehkonen, Nick Blankenburg, Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon all scored for Colorado, while Martin Necas posted three assists. 

In its first nine-goal playoff game in franchise history, Colorado had four different players post at least three points: Toews (1g/3a), Necas (3a), MacKinnon (1g/2a) and Makar (2g/1a).

“I don’t think anybody was going into the game thinking the final score was going to be 9-6," Gabriel Landeskog, who posted two assists on Sunday, said postgame. "The reality [is that] you’ve got to find different ways to win hockey games this time of year. It’s not how we drew it up. It’s not how we necessarily want to win hockey games, but if 
that’s what it takes. Guys stepped offensively and scored some big goals. Definitely things we want to clean up and get better at but nonetheless, a big one.”

How It Happened

Malinski opened the scoring 11:12 into the game with his first-career Stanley Cup Playoff goal via a right-circle wrist shot set up by Martin Necas' feed.

Colorado doubled its 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 head fake set up by Logan O'Connor, who started the play with an offensive-zone takeaway below the goal line.

Lehkonen gave the Avs a 3-0 lead 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 after he picked up the rebound created by his own shot.

At 15:02 of the first period, Marcus Johansson put the Wild on the board via a turnaround shot from the slot. 

Ryan Hartman made it a 3-2 game at 16:04 of the first period via a shot from the doorstep.

Colorado took a 4-2 lead at 4:16 of the second period when Blankenburg scored his first-career Stanley Cup Playoff goal via a shot from the doorstep off the rush set up by Valeri Nichushkin's feed.

Vladimir Tarasenko put the Wild within a goal at 6:45 of the second period via a shot from the doorstep off the rush.

The Wild tied the game at 12:43 of the second period when Quinn Hughes scored via a shot from the point. 

Marcus Foligno gave the Wild a 5-4 lead with a shorthanded breakaway goal at 16:55 of the third period.

Colorado tied the game at 18:04 of the second period when Toews scored his second goal of the playoffs via a shot from the point that was redirected on its way to the net.

Makar put the Avalanche ahead 6-5 at 3:21 of the final frame of regulation with his third goal of the playoffs via a right-circle wrist shot assisted by MacKinnon just seconds after Gabriel Landeskog won an offensive-zone face-off. 

That tally marked the first time in Avalanche franchise history that four different defensemen each scored at least one goal in a playoff game,

Kadri made it 7-5 at 5:43 of the third period with his first goal of the playoffs via a right-circle wrist shot on a partial breakaway set up by Ross Colton's outlet pass.

Mats Zuccarello made it 7-6 via a deflection from the slot at 16:01 of the third period.

The Avs took an 8-6 lead at 17:06 of the third period when Makar scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the playoffs via a right-circle shot.

MacKinnon made it 9-6 in favor of Colorado at 17:52 of the final frame with his third goal of the playoffs via an empty-net tally.

On the goal, MacKinnon recorded his 131st playoff point in his 100th postseason contest and passed Mike Bossy for the sixth most points in a player's first 100 playoff games.

Next Up

The Avalanche will host the Wild for Game Two of Round Two on Tuesday at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN, the ESPN App, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM and the Altitude Sports Radio App.