Result: Minnesota Wild Crush Colorado, Cut Series Deficit
In the third game of the NHL second-round playoffs, Minnesota earned a convincing 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Kirill Kaprizov recorded three points, contributing to three of his team's goals.
Main Event
The Minnesota Wild earned a convincing 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the second-round Stanley Cup series, played on May 9, 2026, at the Grand Casino arena in St. Paul. After two tough losses in Denver (6-9 and 2-5), the Wild returned to home ice and delivered a dominant performance, cutting the series deficit to 2-1 in favor of the Avalanche. This loss was Colorado's first in the current playoff run after six straight wins.
Details and Statistics
The key figure of the night was Russian forward Kirill Kaprizov, who recorded three points (a goal and two assists). He was named the first star of the game. Early on, both teams struggled to establish offensive zone time until offsetting minor penalties to Parker Kelly and Ryan Hartman opened up four-on-four play. At the 16-minute mark, Kaprizov took a pass from Brock Faber, drove down the middle on Scott Wedgewood, faked the goalie out of position, and lifted the puck over him to make it 1-0.
Just 1:33 later, Minnesota doubled the lead. Quinn Hughes, on a four-on-three power play (Devon Toews in the box), came out of the corner, saw Wedgewood had lost his stick, and fired a wrist shot into the top corner.
The second period began with another home goal. At the five-minute mark, a shot by Mats Zuccarello hit Toews, popped into the air, and Hartman batted it into the net to make it 3-0. That goal was the last straw for Colorado head coach Jared Bednar, who replaced Wedgewood with Mackenzie Blackwood, who hadn't played in 25 days. Wedgewood stopped just 9 of 12 shots—a worrying sign for a goalie who led the NHL in save percentage during the regular season and had won six straight playoff games.
The Avalanche's only goal came at 14:00 of the second period on the power play. Wild defenseman Damon Hunt pushed Gabriel Landeskog into his own goalie, Jesper Wallstedt, leaving the puck loose in the crease, and Nathan MacKinnon jammed it home to make it 3-1. It was MacKinnon's 60th career playoff goal.
But less than 30 seconds later, Minnesota restored its comfortable lead. On a delayed penalty, Vladimir Tarasenko shot from the left circle; Blackwood made a weak save, and the puck deflected off Faber's leg and into the net to make it 4-1.
In the third period, Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt stopped all 13 shots he faced to keep the net clean. Matthew Boldy sealed the final score in the final seconds, hitting the empty net from 155 feet.
Final shot attempts were 35-26 in favor of Colorado, but the Avalanche generated few truly dangerous chances. Wallstedt made 34 saves, fully redeeming himself after a disastrous Game 1 in which he allowed eight goals.
Context and Significance
Before Game 3, Minnesota's situation looked nearly dire. The team had allowed 14 goals in the first two games in Denver—first a 6-9 goalie nightmare, then a 2-5 loss where the coach had already pulled Wallstedt for Filip Gustavsson. The home arena at Grand Casino proved a true salvation for the Wild, and the three-day break between games allowed them to regroup and find their game.
Bringing Wallstedt back as the starter was a bold move by John Hynes, and it paid off completely. The young Swedish goalie, who had flopped in Game 1, delivered a mature, calm performance, reminiscent of the form he showed in the first-round series win over Dallas.
Power-play efficiency was notable. Before this game, the Wild had a dismal 1-for-15 on the power play over their last five games and were 0-for-5 in the first two games of the series. Two consecutive power-play goals in the first and second periods not only provided a comfortable lead but also forced Colorado to play from behind—something the Avalanche hadn't experienced in these playoffs.
After the game, defenseman Brock Faber, who also recorded three points, gave a vivid description of Kaprizov's play: "When he's spinning his hips, it means he's playing fast. He's one of the best players in the league and one of the hardest workers. Tonight he was at his best."
The statistical context is impressive. Kaprizov leads the NHL playoffs in scoring with 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists). Quinn Hughes, with 13 points, is tied for second with Mitch Marner of Vegas. Faber and Kaprizov rank first and second in plus-minus at +12 and +11, respectively. Kaprizov extended his personal point streak against Colorado to 16 games, including regular season and playoffs.
What's Next / Next Game Preview
Game 4 of the series will be played on Monday, May 11, 2026, again at the Grand Casino arena in St. Paul. Faceoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM Eastern. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, SN, CBC, and TVAS.
This matchup is crucial for both teams. If Minnesota wins, the series will be tied 2-2, neutralizing the home-ice advantage Colorado earned in the regular season. If the Avalanche prevail, they will take a 3-1 lead and have a chance to close out the series at home in Game 5.
For Colorado, the main question is who will start in goal. Wedgewood was pulled after allowing three goals on 12 shots, though he wasn't directly at fault for most of them—the move was more about providing an emotional spark for the team. Blackwood hadn't played in nearly a month before his relief appearance, and the coaching staff must decide who to trust for Game 4.
If the series goes longer, Game 5 will be on Wednesday, May 13, at Ball Arena in Denver, followed by Game 6 back in Minnesota on Friday, May 15. A potential Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, also in Denver.
— Editorial Team
