According to NHL 26, the Colorado Avalanche will defeat the Minnesota Wild to advance to the Western Conference Final.
After correctly forecasting a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Kings, the simulation turns its attention to the Minnesota Wild, where Colorado once again follows a script that feels increasingly difficult to dismiss as coincidence.
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What unfolded over five games was not just an Avalanche series win, but a gradual tightening of control. Minnesota had answers at times, even a brief surge in Game 3, but Colorado’s depth, pace, and star-driven execution consistently tilted the series back in their direction.
Nathan MacKinnon set the tone early. Valeri Nichushkin punished every seam of space he was given. Ross Colton emerged as a reliable secondary finisher. And Scott Wedgewood provided steady, timely goaltending behind an offense that rarely stopped pushing.
Even when Minnesota responded — most notably through Matt Boldy’s standout performances — Colorado never truly surrendered control of the series’ rhythm.
Ross Colton scored twice for Colorado, while Valeri Nichushkin, Nazem Kadri, and Martin Necas also found the back of the net. Cale Makar recorded three assists, and Nick Blankenburg added two helpers.
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For Minnesota, Matt Boldy scored twice, while Brock Faber finished with two assists.
Valeri Nichushkin was penalized for interference midway through the first period, but Colorado turned the momentum instantly. Martin Necas exploded through the neutral zone on a shorthanded rush, beat every Wild defender, and snapped a wrister over Jesper Wallstedt’s glove for a 1-0 lead.
Colorado doubled the advantage late in the period when Gabe Landeskog won a puck race after a dump-in and fed Nazem Kadri for a booming one-timer from the left circle.
Minnesota answered before intermission as Matt Boldy finished a dazzling breakaway move to cut it to 2-1.
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The Wild tied the game at 7:30 of the second when Yakov Trenin buried a loose puck during a chaotic scramble in front of Scott Wedgewood.
Colorado’s depth quickly responded.
Nichushkin set up Ross Colton to restore the lead, then buried one himself after Necas created another rush chance to make it 4-2.
But Minnesota stayed alive when Boldy struck again with 31 seconds left in the second after another defensive breakdown made it 4-3.
The third period stayed tense until Colton iced it with an empty-net goal in the final 30 seconds.
Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves in the win, while Wallstedt stopped 23 shots.
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Series: Avalanche lead 1-0
Brock Nelson led the charge with two goals and an assist as Colorado overwhelmed Minnesota to grab a 2-0 series lead.
Gabe Landeskog, Nazem Kadri, and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist. Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas also scored, while Scott Wedgewood made 19 saves.
For Minnesota, Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Kirill Kaprizov scored. Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves under heavy pressure.
Colorado struck early just 1:12 in when Nathan MacKinnon capitalized on a turnover and buried the opening goal.
On a 5-on-3 power play, Brock Nelson made it 2-0 only minutes later.
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Kaprizov responded on a 2-on-1 chance to cut it to 2-1, but Colorado quickly regained control.
Landeskog restored the cushion after a Wallstedt misplay, and Necas added a rebound goal to make it 4-1.
Minnesota briefly fought back with goals from Zuccarello and Hartman, but Colorado exploded late with Kadri, Colton, and Nelson all finishing to seal a dominant 7-3 win.
Series: Avalanche lead 2-0
Minnesota finally answered behind a massive night from Matt Boldy.
Boldy scored twice, Jared Spurgeon added a goal, and Jesper Wallstedt made 24 saves in a tight 3-2 win.
Martin Necas and Jack Drury scored for Colorado, while Scott Wedgewood made 19 stops.
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Colorado opened the scoring just 30 seconds in when MacKinnon found Necas at the doorstep.
Spurgeon tied it with a point shot through traffic, and Drury restored Colorado’s lead later in the first.
But Boldy struck late in the frame to tie it 2-2, then delivered the game-winner in the third period to cut the series deficit.
Series: Avalanche lead 2-1
Colorado responded with authority on the road.
Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, Logan O’Connor, and Valeri Nichushkin scored, while Scott Wedgewood made 23 saves.
Nick Foligno scored Minnesota’s lone goal, and Jesper Wallstedt stopped 25 shots.
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Kadri opened the scoring at 4:22, and O’Connor followed quickly after winning a dump-in battle and finishing through traffic.
Minnesota answered through Marcus and Nick Foligno, but that was it.
Nichushkin restored control in the third with a rebound finish, and Nelson added the final dagger late.
Series: Avalanche lead 3-1
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 at Ball Arena to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Nathan MacKinnon, Ross Colton, and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche, while Scott Wedgewood came up with 25 saves.
Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek scored for the Wild, and Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves in defeat.
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MacKinnon opened the scoring at 2:49 of the first period on the power play after Brock Nelson’s rebound attempt sat loose in the crease.
Minnesota attempted to respond with sustained pressure, but Colorado’s structure held firm early, forcing the Wild to the perimeter and limiting clean looks.
At 6:58, Valeri Nichushkin doubled the lead in emphatic fashion.
Ross Colton carried the puck through the neutral zone under heavy contact, absorbed a hit along the boards, and still managed to slide a perfectly timed drop pass into space. Nichushkin was left alone in the slot and hammered a one-timer past Wallstedt to make it 2-0.
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Colton then extended the lead to 3-0 early in the second period after winning a battle along the boards and driving directly to the net, finishing through traffic.
Minnesota finally broke through in the third when Kaprizov beat Wedgewood with a sharp wrister to make it 3-1.
Moments later, Joel Eriksson Ek pulled the Wild within one after a turnover in Colorado’s zone led to a quick finish.
But Colorado shut the door down the stretch, defending cleanly and managing the final minutes with control.
The Avalanche closed it out 3-2 and eliminated Minnesota in five games.
Series: Avalanche win 4-1
For now, we’ll have to wait and see what happens and when this series will actually begin.
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