avs vs wild opened with a 9-6 Colorado Avalanche win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round on Sunday. That gave Colorado a 1-0 series lead after a 15-goal opener at Ball Arena, and both teams spent Monday talking about the details that broke down.
Colorado’s 9-6 edge
The Avalanche won the game with offense, but the series opener also exposed work they know they need to clean up. Jared Bednar said Colorado was prepared for Minnesota’s active defense group and rush chances, then pointed to defensive-zone coverage as the main issue from Game 1.
Bednar said the Avalanche had expected that style from Minnesota’s back end. He singled out Brock Faber and Jared Spurgeon as part of a defense corps that forces opponents to stay organized, and said Colorado had to be strong in certain areas to handle it.
To be truthful, the rush wasn't really a big issue for us last night; it was more (defensive)-zone coverage, but it starts with your rush coverage and then your arrivals, so you're organized.
Tarasenko and Hynes
Vladimir Tarasenko said the Wild have to defend better and limit chances after the 9-6 loss. He also said the score line does not change the standings math: losing 9-6 or 1-0 still leaves Minnesota down one game in the series.
“I think it's more not about who’s able to score yesterday; we have to play better defensively and try to limit their chances,” Tarasenko said. “Obviously, (they’re) a very good team, and we have to keep going on our plan.”
John Hynes made the same point from Minnesota’s side, saying Colorado’s active defensemen created rush play when the Wild got rolled off the forecheck. He added that Minnesota was “a little bit out of sorts” in some of its details in Game 1.
“Their (defensemen) are good skaters and are really active right, so there are times we got rolled off the forecheck, and that allowed them to get some rush play there,” Hynes said. “Like, those are some of the details I’m talking about where they’re a very good rush team, so you have to be on point with your details to try and do a better job with that.”
Quinn Hughes and Game 2
Quinn Hughes leads the Wild with 11 points in seven playoff games, including one goal and two assists in Game 1. Minnesota got to this round after beating the Dallas Stars in six games, while Colorado has scored 16 5-on-5 goals in five playoff games compared with four 5-on-5 goals by Dallas against the Wild in the first round.
That gap helps explain why Tuesday’s Game 2 at Ball Arena in Denver carries more than just the memory of a 9-6 final. Colorado has the series lead, Minnesota has already said the answer has to start with cleaner defensive play, and the next puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET.
