Minnesota Wild at Avalanche Game 5: Looking To Clinch at Home, Lines, Notes & How To Watch
The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche continue the 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 TNT.
Please consider donating to the Colorado Hockey Now Playoff Travel Fund to help our beat writer provide coverage from road games in Minnesota and through the rest of the Avalanche’s playoff run: PAYPAL or VENMO
Key Stories to Watch
- The Avalanche can clinch the series at home with a win tonight, something they haven’t done since 2008, which also came against the Minnesota Wild. The Avs have made it past the second round just once since 2002, and it was when they won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Getting past the Wild today gets them back to the Western Conference Final for the eighth time in their 30 year history.
- Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Sam Malinski and Artturi Lehkonen are both still labeled as day-to-day, but they could “possibly” be options for Game 5.
- Mackenzie Blackwood looks to be the goalie again tonight for the Avalanche. Blackwood made 19 saves in a 5-2 Game 4 victory, including several grade-A stops in the third period to keep the Avs ahead. Blackwood was in the starter’s crease during the optional morning skate.
- For Minnesota, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin remain out with lower-body injuries. Neither of them traveled with the team back to Denver, and it’s increasingly likely they won’t get a chance to take part in this series. Eriksson Ek is skating in Minnesota, and Brodin has not yet taken the ice. Jesper Wallstedt is expected to start for the fourth time in five games in this series. Head coach John Hynes said he might make one injury-related lineup change for Game 5, but he won’t know for sure until closer to puck drop.
Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)
Gabe Landeskog — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Ross Colton — Brock Nelson — Nic Roy
Valeri Nichushkin — Nazem Kadri — Logan O’Connor
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Joel Kiviranta
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Brett Kulak — Brent Burns
Jack Ahcan — Josh Manson
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
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
Daemon Hunt — Jared Spurgeon
Jake Middleton — Zach Bogosian
Jesper Wallstedt
Filip Gustavsson
Projected Starters (subject to change)
- Expected: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
- Expected: Jesper Wallstedt (MIN)
Avalanche Injuries
- Sam Malinski (upper body, day to day)
- Artturi Lehkonen (upper body, 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 (W, 5-2 — COL leads series 2-0)
- Game 3 at Minnesota Wild (L, 5-1 — COL leads series 2-1)
- Game 4 at Minnesota Wild (W, 5-2 — COL leads series 3-1)
- Game 5 vs Minnesota Wild (May 13 at 6 pm MT)
- Game 6 at Minnesota Wild (May 15 at 6 pm MT if necessary)
- Game 7 vs Minnesota Wild (May 17 at TBD 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)
- R2, G2 vs Minnesota Wild (W, 5-2)
- R2, G3 at Minnesota Wild (L, 5-1)
- R2, G4 at Minnesota Wild (W, 5-2)
