The series between Colorado and Minnesota was the most anticipated matchup in the second round, and for good reason—games between Central Division rivals always bring extra intensity in the playoffs. After the chaos of Game 1, both teams settled down, but even that didn’t help the Wild on the road, as they returned home trailing 0-2 in the series. Minnesota managed to win Game 3, but the absence of two Swedish players—defenseman Brodin and forward Eriksson Ek—has clearly taken a toll on the Wild. For Colorado, Nazem Kadri anchors the third line, while Minnesota relies on young, inexperienced Danila Yurov in the second. The difference is evident.
However, in the first period, the Russian rookie showed he can bridge that gap in skill. After a foolish penalty by Manson—who, while lying on the ice, hit McCarron in the face with his stick—Minnesota got a four-minute power play. The second minor penalty was converted: Faber’s shot from the blue line was redirected by Yurov, who achieved a notable milestone. Danila became the second rookie in franchise history to open the scoring in a playoff game. A small but satisfying feat.
The hosts then went into a drought. Not just a scoring drought—Minnesota almost stopped shooting altogether, failing to challenge Blackwood for about 20 minutes. That frustration was again broken by Yurov, who blasted a shot on the power play.
Such a stretch couldn’t go unpunished—Colorado tied the game on the power play thanks to Nazem Kadri.
At the end of the second period, the Avalanche nearly lost Nathan MacKinnon, who took a puck to the face. Blood streamed from the Canadian’s nose, but he returned for the third period. That final frame turned out to be eventful.
Minnesota was to blame, as two defensive zone errors proved fatal. First, Wallstedt mishandled the puck behind the net, leading to a goal by Colton. Then Bogosian failed to clear the puck along the boards, allowing Colorado to set up an attack that ended with a goal by Kelly.
Yes, Minnesota did score in between—Sturm and Hughes combined—but that offered little consolation. Late in the game, the Wild pulled their goalie but conceded two empty-net goals.
The series now stands at 3-1 in favor of Colorado, putting Minnesota on the brink of elimination. Given the flow of events, only a miracle can save the Wild. They lack both experience and internal resources to compete on equal terms with Colorado.