Wild one game from elimination after 5-2 loss to Avalanche in Game 4: Takeaways

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The Minnesota Wild are one loss away from the end of their season. The Colorado Avalanche scored four times in the third period Monday night and left Grand Casino Arena with a 5-2 win in Game 4 of their Western Conference Second Round series. Parker Kelly scored with 7:28 remaining to snap a 2-2 tie.

Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson added empty-net goals in the final minute to give the Avs a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. They can advance to the Western Conference Final with a win Wednesday night in Denver. Mackenzie Blackwood got his first start of the playoffs and made 19 saves for Colorado.

He wasn’t severely tested but kept the game tied at 1-1 early in the third period with a pair of terrific saves on Nico Sturm. Blackwood saw his first action of the series when he relieved Scott Wedgewood in the second period of Minnesota’s 5-1 win in Game 3. Nazem Kadri and Russ Colton also scored for Colorado, which hasn’t gotten to the conference final since 2022, when the Avs won their second Stanley Cup championship.

Wild can’t hold off Avs in third period, lose 5-2 in Game 4 Danila Yurov gave the Wild a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal midway through the first period. Sturm tied the game 2-2 at 9:15 of the third after Colton’s goal at 6:56 put Colorado ahead for the first time. The Wild got a superb effort from rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who finished with 29 saves.