Overview
- Colorado closed the series 4-1 with an overtime win in Denver after Minnesota jumped to a 3-0 lead, finished by Brett Kulak’s goal.
- The Wild played all five games without Joel Eriksson Ek, who said a broken foot made skating impossible, and without Jonas Brodin, who had a fractured metatarsal.
- The absences stretched Minnesota’s thin center group as Michael McCarron took a larger role and Danila Yurov entered his first NHL playoff run.
- Colorado controlled transition play, with NHL Edge tracking far more top-speed bursts for the Avalanche than for the Wild.
- Special teams and defense lagged as the Avalanche went 5-for-13 on the power play and Jake Middleton posted a 41.17% expected-goals share while being on ice for late goals.