Wild face elimination trailing Avalanche 3-1

The Minnesota Wild went back to Denver on Wednesday needing a win to extend their season. Instead, Colorado finished the series at Ball Arena, where Brett Kulak scored at 3:52 of overtime to give the Avalanche a 4-3 victory and a 4-1 win in the Western Conference second-round matchup. Minnesota had entered Game 5 trailing 3-1 after a 5-2 home loss on Monday. The Wild’s own game-day preview said the club was “on the precipice of elimination,” and it noted that Minnesota had failed to even the series at home before returning to Colorado. Colorado also had a specific milestone in front of it. NHL.com’s preview said the Avalanche were trying to close out a playoff series at home for the first time since 2008, with Gabriel Landeskog warning before puck drop that the last win in a series is “the hardest one to win.” (nhl.com) ### How close did Minnesota come to forcing a Game 6? (nhl.com) Minnesota built a 3-0 lead in the first period before the game turned. NHL.com’s recap said the Wild blew that three-goal cushion, with Nick Foligno scoring twice for Minnesota before Colorado came back. Nathan MacKinnon delivered the tying goal with 1:23 left in regulation. (nhl.com) The Avalanche center scored at 18:37 of the third period with Scott Wedgewood pulled for an extra attacker, beating Jesper Wallstedt short side to make it 3-3 and force overtime. Jesper Wallstedt said the equalizer would stay with him. “That one hurts a lot,” Wallstedt said, adding that he felt he had the right read on the play even though MacKinnon “picked his corner.” (nhl.com) ### Who delivered the winner for Colorado? Brett Kulak ended the series 3:52 into overtime. NHL.com said Martin Necas fed a crossing pass to Kulak, who finished with a one-timer from the right dot past Wallstedt. (nhl.com) Kulak said the goal was an unusual moment for him. “The player I am, I’m not the guy everyone’s looking down the bench like, ‘Alright, get out there and go win it for us,’” he said after the game. (nhl.com) Gabriel Landeskog praised the defenseman’s broader role, saying Kulak “makes so many plays” and had been difficult for opponents to play against throughout the series. (nhl.com) ### What had put the Wild in that position before Game 5? Monday’s Game 4 loss left Minnesota down 3-1 in the series. The Wild preview said two empty-net goals turned what had been a 3-2 game into a 5-2 defeat at home. (nhl.com) The series had opened with two Colorado wins in Denver — 9-6 in Game 1 and 5-2 in Game 2 — before Minnesota answered with a 5-1 victory in St. (nhl.com) Paul in Game 3. Colorado then restored control with another 5-2 win in Game 4. Minnesota also went into Game 5 without two regulars. The Wild said center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin did not travel to Denver because of lower-body injuries. (nhl.com) ### Which players shaped the series before the finale? Nathan MacKinnon entered Game 5 leading Colorado with eight points in the series. Minnesota’s preview listed Martin Necas with seven points, while Quinn Hughes led the Wild with six and Kirill Kaprizov had five. (nhl.com) Colorado’s depth had also shown up throughout the matchup. (nhl.com) NHL.com’s pregame report said the Avalanche had 15 different goal scorers against Minnesota through the first four games, matching a 1985 Chicago Blackhawks postseason mark for the most through four games of a series. Ross Colton said that spread of scoring mattered inside the room. “When other guys chip in, it definitely fuels the group,” he said before Game 5. (nhl.com) ### What happens next for Colorado after eliminating Minnesota? Colorado advanced to the Western Conference final with the Game 5 win. NHL.com said the Avalanche will face either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Anaheim Ducks in the next round. (nhl.com) Vegas led that series 3-2 entering Game 6 on Thursday night. Kulak said after the Wild series ended that Colorado could now “get some rest” and begin turning its attention to the remaining second-round matchup. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)