Down three goals early to the Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon knew his team could rally.
“We figured it was a long time for someone to hold a lead against us,” MacKinnon said.
MacKinnon’s belief was justified when Brett Kulak scored 3:52 into overtime, and the Avalanche completed a dramatic Game 5 comeback to eliminate Minnesota with a 4-3 decision in Denver on Wednesday.
The Avalanche advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2022, when they won the Stanley Cup. They next will face either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Anaheim Ducks.
It was the first career postseason game-winning goal for Kulak, and it came after a rough first period for the defenseman. He was on the ice for two Wild goals but rebounded to finish with a goal and an assist.
Colorado rallied to tie it with two goals in the final four minutes of the third period, then won it early in the overtime to end the best-of-seven series. Martin Necas, who had two assists, circled the Minnesota net and fed Kulak for a one-timer at the right circle for the winner.
It made Kulak the unlikely hero for a team loaded with offensive stars.
“I’m not the guy everyone’s looking down the bench like, ‘All right, get out there and go win it for us,'” he said.
Parker Kelly also had a goal and an assist each for the Avalanche, MacKinnon and Jack Drury also scored, and Brent Burns notched two assists. Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood made seven saves in relief of Mackenzie Blackwood, who allowed three goals on 13 shots in the first period.
“A regular-season game, I would have left Blackwood in there because he was no different than the rest of our team,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “But you’re looking for a spark.”
Nick Foligno had two goals, Marcus Johansson also scored, Nico Sturm and Matt Boldy had two assists each, and Jesper Wallstedt turned away 30 shots for the Wild.
Minnesota finished third in the Central Division and beat the Dallas Stars in the first round but couldn’t get past the Presidents’ Trophy winners.
“This one stings. Love the guys. Love the coaching staff. The whole organization,” Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes said. “I mean, this one really stings. I just felt like we had a really good team. You get through these guys, you never know. But if we had to lose, you want to lose to these guys. These guys are the best. Presidents’ Trophy.”
Both teams were without key players. Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin missed the entire series for Minnesota, and the Wild scratched Zach Bogosian (lower-body injury) for Game 5.
Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski were out of the lineup for the second straight due to upper-body injuries.
The hosts managed just four shots on goal for the first half of the third period before peppering Wallstedt late.
Drury made it 3-2 when he tipped a Devon Toews shot past the goalie at 16:27, and Wedgewood came off for an extra skater soon after.
The move paid off when Necas fed MacKinnon down low, and MacKinnon beat Wallstedt with a sharp-angle shot at 18:37 to send the game to overtime.
“I haven’t looked at it, but it felt like I was in good position. It felt like I had the right read,” Wallstedt said. “Maybe I was a little passive or went down a little quick. But, also, he picked his corner. And I think in the long run, that’s a save I make most of the time. But not today.”
Minnesota jumped in front after just 34 seconds when Johansson scored. Foligno made it 2-0 at 11:03 of the opening period, and he scored again at 15:56 of the first.
Foligno’s second goal came minutes after Minnesota’s Michael McCarron had a tally waved off when it was determined he knocked it in with his glove.
The Avalanche stepped up the pressure in the second period and broke through when Kelly redirected Burns’ shot from the point at 11:00.
–Field Level Media
