This series has been an avalanche in the literal sense. Colorado dropped 9 goals in Game 1 and another 5 in Game 2, and the Wild are heading back to Grand Casino Arena down 2-0 with a clear assignment: figure out the Avs or go home. Puck drops 8:05 PM local in St. Paul.
Nathan MacKinnon is doing Nathan MacKinnon things — 4 goals and 6 assists through 6 playoff games, with Martin Necas and Gabriel Landeskog chipping in around him. Colorado hasn't lost a game in the postseason yet, and the top line has been the engine. Stopping that line for 60 minutes is the entire Wild gameplan and they haven't done it for 30.
Minnesota's hope, beyond the home crowd, is reinforcement. Joel Eriksson Ek is reportedly close to making his series debut after sitting Games 1 and 2 with a lower-body issue, which would give John Hynes a real middle-six center for the first time in this round. Special teams have been the bleed point — the Star Tribune flagged it as the single biggest reason this series isn't closer — and Eriksson Ek is a chunk of the answer on the PK.
- OutJoel Kiviranta LW — Kiviranta (undisclosed) hasn't resumed skating yet, according to Bailey Curtis of DNVR Sports on Sunday.
- Day-To-DayZach Bogosian D — day-to-day
- OutCharlie Stramel C — Stramel signed a three-year, entry-level contract extension with the Wild on Monday.
Kirill Kaprizov is doing his part. He's tied with Quinn Hughes for the team playoff lead at 11 points, and his answer-back goal 6 seconds after Colorado opened Game 2 was one of the loudest moments of the series — tied for the 5th-fastest two-team goal sequence in playoff history. Matt Boldy has 10 points with a team-high 6 goals. The offense isn't the problem. The leak is everywhere else.
The market sees the Wild's home-ice bump and isn't impressed by it. Colorado is a road favorite on the moneyline and a heavy chalk on the puck line, and the total sits at 6 with the over juiced — books are pricing in another track meet. If you're betting the Wild here, you're betting on desperation and rest doing real work. Both are real factors. Neither has been enough yet.
Game 3s in 2-0 series are where things either tip or tilt. Win it, and Minnesota has a series again. Lose it, and we're talking about whether this thing makes it back to Denver. Given how Colorado has played through 6 playoff games, the burden of proof is squarely on the Wild.