The Wild visit the Avalanche in Game 2 of their West series on Tuesday
By Matt Severance May 5, 2026 at 8:53 am ET • 4 min read
Getty Images What an incredibly entertaining Game 1 of the NHL Western Conference semifinal series between the Wild and Avalanche from Denver on Sunday night, with Colorado taking a truly wild (pun intended) 9-6 victory. That was some old-school 1980's hockey right there. And I expect another Avs victory in Game 2 tonight, but certainly not another 15-goal game.
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BetRivers same-game parlay (+117)
- Avalanche Money Line
- Alt Over 5.5
The Avalanche's nine goals were a franchise record for a playoff game and the most by any club in the postseason since the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. Sunday was only the 10th playoff game in league annals to feature at least 15 goals scored, and the first since the Oilers and Flames during Game 1 of the 2022 second round. There were five goals in each period Sunday.
Avs superstar blue-liner Cale Makar left for a bit injured but returned and had two third-period goals. He also had an assist and was the No. 1 star. Tonight, Makar can become the sixth defenseman in Stanley Cup playoff history to record a four-game goal streak and is +340 to do so.
He was one of four defensemen on the team to score, which was a franchise first in a playoff game. The Avalanche became only the third team in NHL history with five total goals from blue-liners in a playoff game, following the 1992 Kings and 1985 North Stars.
Eight different Colorado players found the net overall, with Conn Smythe Trophy favorite Nathan MacKinnon (+460) scoring the last on an empty net. He now has 132 points in 100 career playoff games to pass Mike Bossy (131) for the sixth-most in league history through 100. Naturally, Wayne Gretzky holds the mark with an obscene 208 points.
Colorado had four different players post at least three points in Makar, MacKinnon (also two assists), Devon Toews (one goal, three assists) and Martin Necas (three assists). About the only negative for the Avalanche was blowing an early 3-0 lead. They became the first team in NHL playoff history to blow a three-goal lead yet still win by three.
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There were 14 unique goalscorers overall on Sunday. The only playoff games in history to feature as many were Kings-Oilers in Game 1 of the 1982 division semifinals (15) and Kings-Flames Game 6 of the 1993 division semifinals (14).
"You should win when you score six," Minnesota's Mats Zuccarello said. "But not when you let in nine."
It was the fourth time this postseason the Wild allowed the game's first goal but only the second time in franchise history losing when scoring at least six goals. They were not full strength as veteran center Joel Erikkson Ek and blue-liner Jonas Brodin were out injured. Neither will play in Game 2, as neither even traveled to Denver.
Eriksson Ek had 51 points and a plus-16 rating during the regular season. He had three goals and two assists in the Wild's first-round series win over Dallas and finished with a 56.4% face-off win rate. Brodin had 18 points and was plus-19 during the year. Colorado was without defenseman Josh Manson, who missed the series clincher against the Kings because of an upper-body injury. Minnesota has lost seven straight playoff series when dropping Game 1 (2-11 all-time).
The Wild look to score at least five goals in three consecutive postseason games for the first time in team annals. Quinn Hughes can become the third defenseman in NHL playoff history with three consecutive three-point games but is +650 for at least three.
I rather doubt either head coach makes a goalie change in the wake of the opener, although if Jesper Wallstedt is hammered again for the Wild then we might see Filip Gustavsson. He was the No. 1 guy much of the regular season but has not seen the ice in the playoffs. Coach John Hynes said he never thought about pulling Wallstedt, and he thought the 23-year-old played well.
Colorado's Scott Wedgewood has 11 straight starts including playoffs. His six goals allowed in the opener were more than he gave up the entire first round vs. Los Angeles (five). Offensively, the Avs can record 11 or more goals through their first two games of a series for the sixth time in team history. I definitely think they are scoring at least three.
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Hit yet another NHL SGP on Monday (thank you Golden Knights and Under). I feel OK about Over 5.5 here because if it's 3-2 in favor of either club with about five minutes left in regulation, the losing team likely pulls the goalie and our chances of getting that sixth goal rise exponentially. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.
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