When the Colorado Avalanche dispatched the LA Kings in four games, questions emerged about whether the Avs would be able to replicate the same success against the Minnesota Wild.
The Wild, for their part, won a tough series against one of the best teams in the league this season, the Dallas Stars. The six-game series was about as hard as they come, with the Wild outlasting the Stars.
Minnesota’s performance opened the door for pundits to give the Wild a fighting chance against this season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners in their second-round series of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Well, two games into the series, and it looks like the Wild are no match for the Avalanche. Colorado won an outlandish 9-6 contest in Game 1. In fact, the Avs jumped out to a 3-0 lead, seemingly burying the Wild.
But Minnesota did not fold. They came back to tie the game. The rest of the night was a back-and-forth contest until the Avalanche finally pulled away. Colorado scored four times in the third period to seal the victory.
Fans and pundits didn’t really know what to expect in Game 2. Would it be more of the same run-and-gun style? Or would a more tight-checking game style prevail? Colorado took Game 2, 5-2, opening up a 2-0 series lead.
Thus far, the Wild have shown they are no match for the Avalanche. While Minnesota is certainly a talented bunch, they’re having a hard time keeping up. That’s a prospect that’s unlikely to change when the series resumes on Saturday night for Game 3.
Injuries Holding Wild Back
The Wild have been dealing with several injuries. But two, in particular, have been afflicting the team significantly.
First, the loss of center Joel Eriksson Ek has proven to be a major blow. Eriksson Ek is a type of Swiss Army knife that does a little bit of everything. His absence has made it challenging for the Wild to match up against the Avalanche’s lines. It’s even worse when considering that the Avalanche are the deepest team in the NHL at the moment.
The other major loss is Jonas Brodin. Brodin is a solid defensive defenseman who can go up against anyone in the league. Again, his absence has made it hard for the Wild to stack up to Colorado’s best lines.
What to read next:
Avalanche Will Be Looking to Take Advantage of Situation
While there’s a chance that both Eriksson Ek and Brodin could return for the Wild for Game 3, the Avalanche will be looking to take advantage of the situation.
Colorado will be on the road for Game 3, but that shouldn’t be a significant factor, considering the time off the Avalanche have had.
The Avs had about a week off in between their last game against the Kings and the first game against the Wild. Then, Colorado got an extra three days off in between Games 2 and 3. That’s rest that should help the fatigued and wounded Avalanche players recover. Particularly, the Avs have been without shutdown defenseman Josh Manson. While it’s still unclear if he will return for Game 3, the extra time off should bode well for his return this postseason.
Game 3 will take place at the Xcel Energy Center on Saturday night. The Avalanche can take a 3-0 series lead, while the Wild will be looking to get back into the series.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Avalanche Proving Wild No Match in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs appeared first on HEAVY.