Kaprizov's first-period goal powers Wild past Avalanche
- Kirill Kaprizov drove Minnesota’s 5-1 Game 3 win over Colorado on May 9, scoring first and helping flip a lopsided second-round series. - Kaprizov finished with a goal and two assists, Jesper Wallstedt stopped 35 shots, and Colorado yanked Scott Wedgewood after three goals. - The Wild cut Colorado’s series lead to 2-1 and finally slowed an Avalanche attack that had scored 15 goals in two games.
Minnesota finally made this series look normal. After two games that felt tilted hard toward Colorado, the Wild answered with a 5-1 win in St. Paul on Saturday, May 9, and the whole matchup changed shape. Kirill Kaprizov was at the center of it — one goal, two assists, constant pressure. But the bigger story was that Minnesota stopped chasing the Avalanche’s game and forced Colorado to play Minnesota’s instead. ### Why did this game feel so different? Because the Wild finally got the first punch. Colorado had overwhelmed them early in the first two games and piled up 15 goals across those wins. In Game 3, Minnesota stayed organized, got the crowd into it, and turned a tight first period into a 2-0 lead with late goals from Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes. That changed the tone immediately — Colorado was no longer dictating every shift. (nhl.com) ### What did Kaprizov actually do? He didn’t just score. He set the rhythm. Kaprizov opened the scoring during four-on-four play late in the first, then helped create the next two Wild goals. When your best player is touching everything dangerous, the whole team looks faster and more confident. That’s what happened here. Brock Faber also had a huge night with a goal and two assists, so this wasn’t a one-man rescue — but Kaprizov was the spark. (nhl.com) ### Why was the goalie change such a big deal? Because Colorado hadn’t needed one yet. The Avalanche pulled Scott Wedgewood early in the second period after Minnesota scored three times, sending in Mackenzie Blackwood for the first in-series goalie change of their postseason. That’s not just a tactical move — it’s a signal that the game had gotten away from them. Colorado coach Jared Bednar later said Wedgewood looked a little too aggressive on a couple of the goals. (cbsnews.com) ### How important was Wallstedt? Massive. Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves and gave Minnesota the calm it badly needed after the first two games got loose. The Wild didn’t need him to steal the game by himself, but they did need clean stops so Colorado couldn’t build one of those avalanche-style scoring runs. He gave them exactly that. Once Minnesota had the lead, Wallstedt made sure it stayed boring in the best possible way. (the-journal.com) ### Did Colorado play badly, or did Minnesota fix something? A bit of both, but mostly Minnesota fixed the part that matters most in playoff hockey — structure. The Wild were cleaner through the neutral zone, firmer around their net, and less willing to turn the game into a track meet. Basically, they stopped trying to beat Colorado at Colorado’s preferred speed. That matters because the Avalanche still generated shots, but the chances felt less explosive than in Denver. (nhl.com) ### So where does the series stand now? Colorado still leads 2-1, so the Avalanche haven’t lost control. But the easy-sweep feeling is gone. Minnesota proved it can survive the pace, get saves, and make Colorado uncomfortable. That makes Game 4 the hinge point — if the Wild win again at home, this turns into a real fight instead of a short detour on Colorado’s playoff run. (nhl.com) ### Bottom line This wasn’t just Kaprizov scoring early and the Wild hanging on. It was Minnesota finding a version of the series it can actually win. And once that happens in a playoff matchup, momentum stops being a cliché and starts feeling real. (nhl.com)
