MacKinnon has goal and 2 assists in
5-2 win over Wild as Avalanche take 2-0 lead in series
[May 06, 2026]
By PAT GRAHAM
DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored a goal and assisted on two
more as the Colorado Avalanche rolled through Minnesota's newest
netminder, Filip Gustavsson, on their way to a 5-2 win over the Wild
on Tuesday night, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the second-round playoff
series.
The Avalanche have now won six straight postseason games, which ties
the 2021 squad for the franchise's longest win streak to begin the
playoffs.
This game featured a little more defense than the 9-6 eruption in
Game 1. The 14 goals for the Avalanche are the most in the first two
games of a playoff series since the Calgary Flames had 15 against
the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.
Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy all scored their
first goals of the series. Valeri Nichushkin added an empty-netter
in the closing seconds. Twelve different Avalanche players have
scored in the series, an NHL record for the first two games of a
series.
“It’s great. I mean, right now, that’s what you need,” defenseman
Cale Makar said. “You need everybody contributing and we’re finding
ways to do that. There’s a lot of jelling minds right now.”
Scott Wedgewood made 29 saves on a night where he drew contact — he
was knocked into the net on one occasion — and took a puck off the
mask, leading to some quick repairs. It was a bounceback performance
after giving up six goals in Game 1.
“He’s been unbelievable for us,” Roy said. "You can feel the
confidence he’s got and it bleeds through the lineup.”
The Wild went with Gustavsson in net after Jesper Wallstedt gave up
eight goals in the 9-6 loss. Gustavsson got off to a rocky start by
giving up goals on the opening two shots of the first period and the
first shot of the second. He settled down and finished with 18
saves.
“Just fine. Nothing special," Gustavsson said of how he felt
Tuesday. “Not bad, not good.”
The series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Saturday.
The Avalanche are 18-2 in best-of-seven playoff series when winning
the first two games since moving to Denver in 1995-96.
[to top of second column] |
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, redirects the
puck at Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson in the third
period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff
series Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Kirill Kaprizov and Marcus Johansson had goals for
the Wild. Tempers flared in the third, with Parker Kelly getting
into a scuffle with Matt Boldy and hitting the linesman with his
glove. No penalties were called.
Colorado weathered a late rush by the Wild after they pulled
Gustavsson for an extra skater late in the game. Boldy took a big
hit from MacKinnon along the boards.
The game boiled down to special teams. The Avalanche were 2 of 5 on
the power play while the Wild finished 0 of 2.
“It’s not good enough,” said Boldy, whose team is missing two big
pieces with forward Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin
sidelined by lower-body injuries. "We know that. It’s on us. We’ve
got to make adjustments and be way better.”
Necas gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead in the first period but just six
seconds later Kaprizov tied it. The six-second gap between the goals
was tied for the fifth-fastest two goals by both teams in postseason
history, according to NHL Stats.
Landeskog later added a power-play score on a pass from MacKinnon,
who notched two assists in the first period for his 21st career
multipoint playoff period. He passed Hall of Famer Joe Sakic for the
most in franchise history.
“Just excited to play playoff hockey,” said MacKinnon, whose team
has scored five or more goals in three straight postseason games for
the fifth time in franchise history. “Obviously, the best time of
year.”
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