Wallstedt Stands Tall as Wild Kick Avalanche's Lunch In

The Wild weren't supposed to be here. Down 0-2, down 9-6 and 5-2 in Denver, looking like a team that was going to get swept out of the second round before anyone in Minnesota could finish their popcorn. But they found something in Game 3.

Or maybe they just remembered who they are.

Minnesota routed Colorado 5-1 on Friday night, handing the Avalanche their first loss of these playoffs and cutting the series deficit to 2-1.

The Wild outshot the Avalanche 18-8 in the first period alone. That's not a close game. That's an ambush.

Wallstedt Bounces Back and Stays in the Net

After Gustavsson started Game 2 and looked shaky, the Wild went back to Jesper Wallstedt.

Smart move. The 23-year-old rookie made 34 saves and looked like a guy who wanted the crease back.

Through nine playoff games, Wallstedt posts a .916 save percentage and a 2.27 GAA. That's not rookie numbers. That's a guy who's been unflappable when it matters most. He gave up five in Game 2 and you could see the reporters circling, wondering if they'd go back to the veteran. He answered that in 60 minutes.

He'll need to be just as sharp in Game 4. Because this series isn't over yet.

Bednar Has a Goalie Mess on His Hands

Here's where it gets interesting.

Jared Bednar pulled Scott Wedgewood after three goals on 12 shots. Mackenzie Blackwood came in cold. First time he'd played since April 14. And stopped 12 of 13. That's a decent emergency performance, but it's also not nothing.

After the game, Bednar said they'd have a decision to make for Game 4. That's the kind of thing you say when you don't know the answer yet. And that's bad news for Colorado. You don't want your goalie situation to be an open question heading into a potential momentum-shifting Game 4. If Blackwood gets the nod and struggles early, the Avalanche could find themselves in real trouble.

This isn't a problem you want heading into a hostile building in Minnesota.

Special Teams Were the Real Story

The final score was 5-1, but the special teams told the real story.

Minnesota's power play had been a disaster. Zero goals on five chances through the first two games. In Game 3, they scored twice with the man advantage. That's not a small thing. The Wild can play five-on-five with anyone. But the power play is what turns a tight game into a runaway.

The penalty kill is another matter. Minnesota allowed their ninth straight game with a power-play goal against. That's ugly.

But the early kills let them build a 3-0 cushion before Colorado could get anything going. So the damage was limited.

Quinn Hughes scored a power-play goal and added an assist.

He's tied for the playoff scoring lead with 11 points through nine games. He's not slowing down.

2014 Is Staring Back at the Wild

The Wild have been here before. They came back from an 0-2 series deficit exactly once in franchise history — against these same Avalanche in 2014. They won that series in seven games.

The stakes feel familiar.

The opponent is familiar. And now the response has been familiar too.

Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists. He owns the Wild franchise record for career playoff goals now — surpassed Zach Parise in Round 1. Matt Boldy scored an empty-netter, his seventh goal of the playoffs. Brock Faber scored 20 seconds after Nathan MacKinnon cut the lead to 3-1. Twenty seconds. That's not just a goal. That's a punch in the mouth after the other team thought they were climbing back in.

This series isn't over.

But the Wild just reminded everyone they're not going away quietly.

Game 4 is tomorrow night in Minnesota. Bednar has to choose his goalie. The Wild have the momentum. And if the power play keeps clicking, Colorado's in real trouble.

Can the Wild tie this thing up, or does Colorado's experience carry them through? Either way, this is far from done.

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Sources: NHL.com | The Athletic ($) | Washington Post | Denver Gazette