Wild, Avalanche don’t expect more madness in Game 2 of Western 2nd Round

DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild have turned the page from a frenzied series opener heading into Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round at Ball Arena on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC).

It’s time to get back to the styles that got them here in the first place after Colorado’s 9-6 victory in Game 1 on Sunday.

“I think it's more not about who’s able to score yesterday; we have to play better defensively and try to limit their chances,” Wild forward Vladimir Tarasenko said on Monday. “Obviously, (they’re) a very good team, and we have to keep going on our plan.

“People usually say everything could happen in the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs, and it was another thing I (have) never been part of. At the end of the day -- I’ve said it before -- it’s important how you react. I don't think there is such a big difference to lose 9-6 or 1-0; it's down by one in the series. We have time to get some rest today and ready for tomorrow.”

Part of it is adjusting from the first round. The Avalanche are playing a very different defense group than the Los Angeles Kings. Minnesota’s defense is very active, highlighted by Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber. Hughes, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in December, has been pivotal and leads the Wild with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven playoff games. He had a goal and two assists on Sunday.

“That's something we talked about coming into the series, right?” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “I'll try to remember the analytics, but (they’re among the) top 5-8 teams in the League for (defenseman) exits and entries into the offensive zone and then scoring chances from their (defensemen) on the rush. So, we were prepared for that coming in.

“Part of it, you just look at their personnel -- Hughes, Faber, (Jared) Spurgeon, etc. -- you know these guys are going to be part of it, and it's just their style of play. It's very similar to the way we play. So, I think going into that, we knew we had to be really good in certain areas. To be truthful, the rush wasn't really a big issue for us last night; it was more (defensive)-zone coverage, but it starts with your rush coverage and then your arrivals, so you're organized. So, we went over a bunch of stuff -- a bunch of reminders again this morning, things we talked about prior to the series, things that we noticed last night that we want to make sure that we're aware of and doing a better job on it.”

For the Wild, it’s combating the Avalanche off the rush and at 5-on-5. Minnesota defeated the Dallas Stars in the first round in six games, but Dallas can’t create off the rush exactly like Colorado and it definitely can’t match the 5-on-5 production. The Stars had four 5-on-5 goals in six games; the Avalanche have 16 in five games.

“Their (defensemen) are good skaters and are really active right, so there are times we got rolled off the forecheck, and that allowed them to get some rush play there,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Like, those are some of the details I’m talking about where they’re a very good rush team, so you have to be on point with your details to try and do a better job with that. Normally we do that; last night we were a little bit out of sorts in some of those details.

“Face-offs, we’re usually a strong face-off team. From the (Trade) Deadline on we’ve been very good on face-offs, then we gave up three, two of those (goals) for sure, off lost face-offs that we weren’t buttoned up on. There are things Colorado certainly challenges you to be good at. We weren’t as good as we needed to be in some of those areas, but I do feel, going back through last night, I feel five of the goals are things we don’t normally do.”

The crazy game is over, the meetings have been held and the videos watched. The Wild and Avalanche are expected to play a long, hard-fought series, but each is naturally trying to avoid another 15-goal game.

“There were a lot of clips you can look at and learn from,” Colorado defensemam Brett Kulak said. “You see yourself in the video and you shake your head at yourself a little bit, like how you would have liked to play it differently and how you usually do. So, I think it was good to go through the video and watch the game back together as a group and just see certain areas of the ice where that's just not the way we play.

“And I think everyone's excited now to just keep it rolling, get back into the game tomorrow and find our game.”