Avalanche bounce Wild, advance to Western Conference Final in thrilling comeback win

The Colorado Avalanche are the first team to clinch a spot in the Western Conference Final. The Avs pulled off a thrilling 4-3 overtime win, that saw Colorado come back from a 3-0 first-period deficit.

The Avalanche surrendered the opening goal 34 seconds into the game. By the end of the first, the Wild chased starting netminder MacKenzie Blackwood after surrendering three goals on 13 shots.

Avs coach Jared Bednar could have left Blackwood in the game, hoping he’d rebound. Instead, Bednar pulled Blackwood as he looked to spark a turnaround.

It worked. Scott Wedgewood shut the door, while the Avalanche tightened up. The kept the Wild off the board, buying themselves time to get back into the game.

With the game 3-1 in the third period, the Wild could not hold the Avalanche onslaught back. Jack Drury pulled the Avs to within one on this gritty goal.

That set up a desperate empty-net foray by Colorado, culminating in none other than Nathan MacKinnon, Mr. Hart Trophy himself, pulling the game even.

MacKinnon nailed the puck from a seemingly impossible angle, finding the back of the net to tie the game.

The most interesting part about that goal was the reaction by MacKinnon. He didn’t jump up or pump his fist. It seems almost as though he couldn’t believe the goal the just scored. No one really believed the goal. After all, it went in a spot that seemed guided by laser.

Unexpected overtime hero for Avalanche

With the game heading to overtime, Martin Necas took a nifty pass, and set up the game’s unlikely hero, defenseman Brett Kulak. Kulak isn’t known for his offensive abilities. But you wouldn’t tell that from the way he buried the pass from Necas.

Kulak made no mistake, beating Jesper Wallstedt for the game-winner. Ball Arena went berserk, while the stunned Wild players, particularly Wallstedt, lay on the ice in agony. The Wild had seemingly come back to force a Game 6 in Minnesota. But the Avalanche didn’t hold back, and turned the tables.

The Avalanche will now await the winner of the Vegas Golden Knights-Anaheim Ducks series. The winner of that series will meet Colorado for a chance to play for the 2026 Stanley Cup.

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