What a night in Denver! If you missed Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche, you missed a throwback to the high-flying 1980s. The Avalanche skated away with a jaw-dropping 9-6 victory on Sunday—a game that had everything: comebacks, history, and enough goals to fill a week's worth of highlights.
But don't expect a repeat of that 15-goal fireworks show in Game 2 on Tuesday. While the Avs look poised to take a commanding 2-0 series lead, the scoring pace will almost certainly cool down. After all, Sunday's game was only the 10th playoff contest in NHL history to feature at least 15 goals, and the first since the Oilers and Flames squared off in the 2022 second round. Each period saw five goals—a level of offensive chaos that's simply unsustainable.
Colorado's nine goals set a franchise playoff record, marking the most by any team in a postseason game since the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. Eight different Avs players found the net, with Conn Smythe Trophy favorite Nathan MacKinnon (now +460 to win the award) sealing the win with an empty-netter. MacKinnon also reached 132 points in 100 career playoff games, passing Mike Bossy for the sixth-most through a century of postseason action. (For context, Wayne Gretzky holds the record with an absurd 208 points.)
Defenseman Cale Makar was the star of the show, shaking off a brief injury scare to score two third-period goals and add an assist. He's now +340 to become the sixth defenseman in Stanley Cup playoff history to record a four-game goal streak. Makar was one of four Avs blue-liners to score—a franchise first in a playoff game—and Colorado became only the third team in NHL history with five goals from defensemen in a postseason contest, joining the 1992 Kings and 1985 North Stars.
Four different Avalanche players posted at least three points: Makar, MacKinnon (who also had two assists), Devon Toews (one goal, three assists), and Martin Necas (three assists). The only blemish? Colorado blew an early 3-0 lead—becoming the first team in NHL playoff history to squander a three-goal advantage yet still win by three. It's that kind of resilience that makes the Avs so dangerous.
As you gear up for Game 2, keep an eye on the ice—and your wardrobe. Whether you're repping the Wild's forest green or the Avs' iconic burgundy and blue, make sure you're dressed for the action. After all, playoff hockey is as much about the atmosphere as the game itself.