Avalanche win Game 5 in OT to eliminate Wild, take series 4‑1

Colorado closed out Minnesota on Wednesday night with the kind of comeback that changes the shape of a series in a single game. The Avalanche trailed 3-0 after the first period at Ball Arena, tied the game with 1:23 left in regulation, and won 4-3 in overtime when defenseman Brett Kulak finished a Martin Necas pass at 3:52. (nhl.com) The result ended the Wild’s season and sent Colorado to the Western Conference Final with a 4-1 series win. It also completed a series in which the Avalanche won the first two games at home, lost Game 3 in St. (nhl.com) Paul, then took the final two by scores of 5-2 and 4-3. Minnesota’s early push made the finish notable. NHL.com’s game recap said the Wild built a three-goal first-period lead, with Nick Foligno scoring twice, before Colorado rallied with four unanswered goals. (nhl.com) ### How did Colorado get from 3-0 down to a series-clinching win? Brett Kulak ended it at 3:52 of overtime with a one-timer from the right dot off a crossing pass from Martin Necas. The goal capped a four-goal Colorado comeback and sent the Avalanche through in five games. (statmuse.com) Nathan MacKinnon forced overtime at 18:37 of the third period after Colorado pulled Scott Wedgewood for an extra attacker. NHL.com said MacKinnon’s wrist shot beat Jesper Wallstedt short side from below the left dot. (nhl.com) Parker Kelly scored and added an assist, while Necas and Brent Burns each had two assists for Colorado, according to NHL.com. ### What did Minnesota do early that put Colorado in trouble? (nhl.com) Nick Foligno scored twice as Minnesota opened a 3-0 lead in the first period, according to NHL.com’s recap. That start put the Wild in position to extend the series and quieted the home crowd in Denver. (nhl.com) Jared Bednar changed goaltenders at the first intermission, replacing Mackenzie Blackwood with Scott Wedgewood after Blackwood allowed three goals on 13 shots. Bednar said afterward that the decision was tied to Colorado’s broader first-period play, not only the goaltending. (nhl.com) ### What did the players and coaches say afterward? Brett Kulak called it “a special goal in my career” after scoring the winner. Gabriel Landeskog said Kulak “makes so many plays” and described him as “in the right spot at the right time.” (nhl.com) Nathan MacKinnon said the comeback ranked at the top for him and pointed to the atmosphere in Denver after the late equalizer and overtime finish. “That building was special tonight,” MacKinnon said, according to NHL.com. (nhl.com) Jesper Wallstedt said MacKinnon’s tying goal “hurts a lot,” while Wild coach John Hynes called it “a heck of a shot by an unbelievable player.” Both comments centered on the quality of the finish rather than a breakdown in coverage. (nhl.com) ### What does the 4-1 result say about the series itself? Colorado won the series 4-1 after opening with a 9-6 win in Game 1 and a 5-2 win in Game 2, then recovering from a 5-1 loss in Game 3 by taking the last two games. The Avalanche entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed from the Central Division and Western Conference, NHL.com said. (nhl.com) Minnesota’s season ended in the second round after advancing past Dallas in the first round, while Colorado moved on for another trip to the conference final. (nhl.com) ### Who is next for Colorado, and when will that be decided? Colorado will play either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Final. Vegas leads that second-round series 3-2, and Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday, May 14, at Honda Center in Anaheim at 9:30 p.m. ET, according to NHL.com and Sporting News. (statmuse.com) Kulak said after Game 5 that Colorado could finally widen its focus after several days centered only on Minnesota. The Avalanche now wait for the final result of Vegas-Anaheim before the conference final schedule is set. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)