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Minnesota Wild at Avalanche Game 2: One Team Makes Goalie Change, Lines, Notes & How To Watch

The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche continue their second-round series against the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:10 pm MT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Please consider donating to the Colorado Hockey Now Playoff Travel Fund to help our beat writer provide coverage from road games in Minnesota: PAYPAL or VENMO

Key Stories to Watch

  • The Avalanche broke a franchise record in Game 1 when they scored nine goals in a playoff game. Despite giving up six, there was a lot to build on from that performance, and tonight is an opportunity to take a strong 2-0 series lead before the series shifts to Minnesota.
  • The Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes matchup did not disappoint in Game 1, albeit Makar got the upper hand. The Avs’ superstar defenseman had two goals and an assist, while Hughes had a goal and two assists.
  • The Minnesota Wild are making a change in goal. Filip Gustavsson gets the nod, making his first postseason start this season and first since April 13. Jesper Wallstedt gave up eight goals on 42 shots in Game 1 after allowing only six in his last three combined games against Dallas.
  • Jared Bednar would not comment on any personnel decisions for the Avs, which includes an unconfirmed starting goalie. But the expectation is still for Scott Wedgewood to once again get the nod for Colorado. Defenseman Jack Ahcan was on the ice during the optional skate, giving Colorado another option if Josh Manson still can’t play. Bednar said on Monday that he doesn’t expect Cale Makar to miss time for the injury he sustained in the first period before returning to score two goals.
  • Still without Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin, Minnesota head coach John Hynes said there will be gametime decisions on the rest of his lineup.

Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Ross Colton — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Gabriel Landeskog — Nazem Kadri — Nicolas Roy
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Brett Kulak — Sam Malinski
Nick Blankenburg — Brent Burns

Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood

Projected Wild Lines (subject to change)

Kirill Kaprizov — Ryan Hartman — Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson — Danila Yurov — Matt Boldy
Yakov Trenin —Michael McCarron — Vladimir Tarasenko
Marcus Foligno — Nico Sturm — Nick Foligno

Quinn Hughes — Brock Faber
Jake Middleton — Jared Spurgeon
Daemon Hunt — Zach Bogosian

Filip Gustavsson
Jesper Wallstedt

Projected Starters (subject to change)

  • Expected: Scott Wedgewood (COL)
  • Confirmed: Filip Gustavsson (MIN)

Avalanche Injuries

  • Josh Manson (upper body, day to day)
  • Joel Kiviranta (TBD, day to day)

Wild Injuries

  • Jonas Brodin (lower body, day to day)
  • Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body, day to day)

How to Watch

Playoff Series Head-to-Head

  • Game 1 vs Minnesota Wild (W, 9-6 — COL leads series 1-0)
  • Game 2 vs Minnesota Wild (May 5 at 6 pm MT)
  • Game 3 at Minnesota Wild (May 9 at 7 pm MT)
  • Game 4 at Minnesota Wild (May 11 at TBD)
  • Game 5 vs Minnesota Wild (May 13 if necessary)
  • Game 6 at Minnesota Wild (May 15 if necessary)
  • Game 7 vs Minnesota Wild (May 17 if necessary)

Regular Season Head-to-Head

  • Nov. 28 at Minnesota Wild (L, 3-2 SO)
  • Dec. 21 at Minnesota Wild (W, 5-1)
  • Feb. 26 vs Minnesota Wild (L, 5-2)
  • March 8 vs Minnesota Wild (W, 3-2 SO)

Overall Playoff Results

  • R1, G1 vs Los Angeles Kings (W, 2-1)
  • R1, G2 vs Los Angeles Kings (W, 2-1 OT)
  • R1, G3 at Los Angeles Kings (W, 4-2)
  • R1, G4 at Los Angeles Kings (W, 5-1)
  • R2, G1 vs Minnesota Wild (W, 9-6)

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