The NHL playoffs are supposed to be about low-scoring, tight-checking hockey where the winner is generally the better defensive team. But apparently, those rules don't apply at high altitude.
On a night where seemingly every shift produced a scoring chance, the Colorado Avalanche had the late-game offense necessary to claim Game 1 of their best-of-seven playoff series, overcoming a brief second-period deficit to beat the Minnesota Wild 9-6 in a wild, high-scoring affair.
Colorado jumped out to a 3-0 lead early and held a 4-2 advantage in the second period, but the Wild refused to go quietly. Minnesota scored two late in the first and three in the second to take a short-lived 5-4 lead. However, quick-strike goals by Cale Makar and Nazem Kadri early in the final period helped Colorado pull away for good.
The Wild got goals from Marcus Johansson, Ryan Hartman, Vladimir Tarasenko, Quinn Hughes, Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello. The six goals were the most ever scored by Minnesota in a playoff loss—a frustrating stat for a team that showed plenty of offensive firepower but couldn't contain the Avalanche's relentless attack.
Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves for Minnesota, which will look to bounce back in Game 2 on Tuesday night at Ball Arena. Scheduled for a 7 p.m. Central puck drop, the series continues with both teams looking to adjust their defensive strategies after such a high-scoring opener.
The Avalanche, now 5-0 in the playoffs this season, got goals from eight different players along with 30 saves by Scott Wedgewood. The combined 15 goals were the most for both teams in a Wild playoff game, highlighting just how explosive this series could become.
After killing Minnesota's first power play, Colorado opened the scoring when defenseman Sam Malinski netted his first career playoff goal, fooling Wallstedt with a rising wrist shot from the faceoff dot. The 27-year-old Malinski, who played prep hockey at Lakeville South, made the most of his playoff debut.
The Avalanche doubled their lead less than a minute later when a failed clearing attempt below the goal line landed on the stick of fourth-liner Jack Drury, who popped a shot over Wallstedt's right shoulder. It was the kind of opportunistic goal that can deflate a team—but not the Wild, who kept battling.
It got worse quickly when Colorado converted on their first power play of the series to grab a 3-0 lead with plenty of time left in the first. But the Wild provided a much-needed answer when Johansson grabbed a loose puck low in the offensive zone and snapped a shot past Wedgewood for his second goal of the playoffs.
Just 62 seconds later, Minnesota made it a one-goal game when Hughes made a spinning backhand pass from the corner to the top of the crease. Hartman caught the pass and poked it low past Wedgewood while being buried by a Brent Burns check—a gritty play that showed the Wild's determination.
Minnesota's power play again failed to convert early in the middle frame, and instead of a tie game, the Wild found themselves down by a pair when Avs defenseman Nick Blankenburg ended a high-speed rush to the net with his first career playoff goal. But again the Wild had an answer when Tarasenko scored his second goal of the postseason, keeping the pressure on Colorado.
For hockey fans, this game was a reminder that playoff hockey doesn't always follow the script. Sometimes, the best defense is a great offense—and on this night at high altitude, the Avalanche had just enough to outlast a Wild team that refused to back down. With Game 2 on the horizon, both squads will be looking to tighten up while hoping the goals keep coming.