Minnesota vs Colorado: Can the Wild Bounce Back in Game 2?
Updated July 9, 2026
Game 1 was unreal. There's no way we see 15 goals again in Game 2… right? Now the series continues in Denver for Game 2, and Minnesota is missing two key pieces.
Can they bounce back, or will the Avs take a 2–0 lead?
Stop right there before you take Game 1's 9-6 scoreline at face value. Colorado's expected goals margin in Game 1 was 4.64 to Minnesota's 2.90, which means the Avalanche did genuinely dominate — but the scoreline was still inflated by the chaos of two teams trading grade-A chances in a track meet. Gabriel Landeskog acknowledged as much afterward, saying Colorado doesn't want to give up 6 goals and has things to clean up. This was not a "Colorado controls everything" game. It was a high-event, high-variance contest where the Avs had the structural edge but both goalies got lit up. The market will likely price the Avs even heavier after a 9-6 blowout win. That could create mild value on the moneyline if the price moves past -230 or so, but at current levels, the Colorado moneyline is a reasonable lean rather than a slam-dunk edge. The more compelling angle is what does NOT change: Minnesota still plays without its top defensive center and its most reliable shutdown blueliner, Colorado's goaltender was merely average and will almost certainly outperform what he showed, and the Avalanche hold home ice in a building where they own an enormous historical record in playoff leads. There is no market mispricing here worth screaming about, but the structural case for Colorado winning this game cleanly is sound.
The biggest story walking into Game 2 is not what happened in Game 1 — it is what Minnesota is missing. The Wild will again play without top-line center Joel Eriksson Ek and their best defensive blueliner Jonas Brodin, both of whom have been ruled out for Tuesday's game as well. Eriksson Ek is the engine of Minnesota's defensive zone structure and a force in the faceoff circle, where the Wild actually dominated at even strength in Game 1 — winning 63% of draws. Without him, that advantage narrows significantly. Brodin's absence strips away Minnesota's most capable shutdown defender against a line that features Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, two of the most dangerous players in hockey. These are not just roster holes. They are direct impact losses against a team specifically built to exploit them.
Colorado jumped to a 3-0 lead with under 7 minutes left in the first period, and the Wild steadily climbed back to take a 5-4 lead on a short-handed goal from Marcus Foligno late in the second. The box score final of 9-6 captures almost none of the actual texture of this game. Colorado dominated the first period, Minnesota responded well in the second, and then the Avalanche reasserted in the third — outscoring the Wild 4-1 in the final frame. The period-by-period scoring tells the real story: Colorado 3, Minnesota 2 in the first; Colorado 2, Minnesota 3 in the second; Colorado 4, Minnesota 1 in the third. That third period is the data point that matters most. The Avs did not hold a lead and play passively. They surged. While some of the goals can be attributed to poor goaltending, Colorado's expected goal output was still dominant at 4.64 compared to Minnesota's 2.90. The scoreline was legitimate even if the game had chaotic energy.
Colorado got a scare when Makar left the bench after a big hit from Marcus Foligno, playing just 2 shifts in the first period, but he returned in the second and scored twice in the third. He has been confirmed available for Game 2. Colorado was also without Josh Manson for this game and remains without him going forward due to an upper-body injury from the first round.
The single biggest tactical question heading into Game 2 is whether Minnesota's coaching staff considers a goaltender change. Colorado put 8 goals by Jesper Wallstedt in the Game 1 loss. Wallstedt faced 43 shots and allowed 8 at even strength — a catastrophic performance by any measure. However, the expected goals data suggests he was not entirely at fault; Colorado generated legitimate high-danger chances at a high rate. That said, the Wild's locker room tone was notably one of defensive accountability rather than goaltender criticism. Mats Zuccarello said the team has to be better defensively, not pointing fingers at the netminder. If Minnesota sticks with Wallstedt — which appears likely — the question is whether the defensive structure improves enough to cover for his inexperience against this opponent. There is no indication of a change, but if the Wild do pull him early in Game 2, that is a significant live-betting signal.
Colorado is 5-0 in this postseason and has not been taken to overtime once. Minnesota came in having won 3 straight after going down 2-1 against Dallas, so they showed resilience in the first round. But that Dallas series featured a very different level of opposition and did not include the injuries Minnesota is now carrying. The Wild are 0-1 in this series and facing an opponent that has been measurably better at both ends of the ice in the 1 game sample they share.
Scott Wedgewood went 4-0 in the first round, going 24 saves across all 4 games with a .950 save percentage and 1.21 goals-against average. In Game 1 against Minnesota he allowed 6 goals on 36 shots — a significant step back. He faced a Wild team that scored on 16.7% of its shots, which is above what you would expect on a sustained basis. Some regression back toward his first-round form is likely, though the Wild's offensive firepower is a legitimately tougher test than the Kings provided. Wallstedt, the 22-year-old facing his first career start against an opponent of this caliber, will be under enormous pressure after giving up 8 goals. His teammates gave him cover publicly, but the structural problem — a depleted blue line and missing center behind him — remains unresolved for Game 2.
Cale Makar had a massive performance after returning from his first-period injury — finishing with 2 goals, 1 assist, and a plus-2 rating. His availability for Game 2 is confirmed and his ability to play at that level while shaking off a tweak is concerning for Minnesota. Nathan MacKinnon was held to 1 goal and 2 assists in Game 1 but generated 4 shots and was a plus-3 — expect him to be hungrier. On the Minnesota side, Kirill Kaprizov was quiet by his standards with just 1 assist, while Quinn Hughes had a strong game offensively with 3 points. Brock Faber took 3 minor penalties, which is a serious concern given how dangerous Colorado's power play is. The Wild's penalty discipline needs a dramatic correction or this game could mirror the first.
Metric | MIN | COL | Betting Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 Even Strength | 5 goals on 31 shots, 62.5% faceoff win rate | 8 goals on 40 shots, 37.5% faceoff win rate | COL Edge |
Expected Goals Game 1 | 2.90 xG | 4.64 xG | COL Edge |
Special Teams | 0-for-3 on power play; gave up 1 PP goal | 1-for-2 on power play; Faber took 3 minors | COL Edge |
Goaltending | Wallstedt: 8 GA on 43 shots in Game 1 | Wedgewood: 6 GA on 36 shots in Game 1 | Unclear — both regressed |
Injury Impact | Missing Eriksson Ek and Brodin | Missing Manson | MIN disadvantage |
Home Ice Context | Road team | 5-0 this postseason at home | COL Edge |
The expected game script for Game 2 is cleaner than Game 1 suggested. Both teams will tighten their defensive structures after an embarrassing first game on both ends. Minnesota is almost certainly going to play a more conservative neutral-zone game, limiting Colorado's transition opportunities — the same approach that worked against Dallas. Colorado, playing at home with a 1-0 series lead, will be the more comfortable team and should dictate tempo. The total dropping from the Game 1 level seems likely; this game will probably land in the 5 to 7 goal range rather than the chaos of 15.
The most current Game 2 moneyline odds are not yet widely posted with specificity for this game, but based on available information, Colorado is expected to be priced in the -200 to -230 range as the heavy home favorite, with Minnesota around +165 to +185. One source has Colorado at -1.5 on the puckline at +131 for this game, which implies a fairly heavy moneyline price. The implied probability on a -215 moneyline is roughly 68%. My estimated win probability for Colorado is around 65%, meaning the moneyline is approximately fairly priced — perhaps very slightly overpriced on the Avs. That is not a meaningful edge. Where a thin edge may exist is on the Colorado moneyline if the price moves back toward the -180 to -195 range on the back of any narrative that Game 1 was fluky for Colorado. It was not. Their structural advantages were real. The puckline at +131 is interesting if you believe Colorado wins this more convincingly than Game 1 — Makar back healthy, Wedgewood steadies up, Minnesota's blue line still short two key players. However, Colorado also allowed 6 goals on 36 shots last game, so assuming a dominant margin is a leap.
Market | Odds |
|---|---|
Moneyline | Colorado approx. -210 to -230 | Minnesota approx. +170 to +190 |
Total | Likely 6.0 to 6.5 |
Puckline | Colorado -1.5 approx. +131 |
The case for Colorado here is straightforward and not particularly dependent on Game 1 carrying over. The Avalanche are the better team, they are at home, they face a Minnesota squad still missing 2 of its most important players, and their defensive defenseman Makar is healthy and motivated. The chaos of a 9-6 game does not tell you much about repeatable patterns — but the expected goals margin, the third-period takeover, and the sustained pressure on a rookie goaltender do. Minnesota will compete. They have the offensive firepower to keep this close and their faceoff edge at even strength is real. But without Eriksson Ek anchoring the middle and Brodin anchoring the blue line, the defensive lapses that turned Game 1 into a shootout are likely to recur.
The market is not wildly mispricing this game. Colorado at roughly -210 to -220 is about right for a team with these advantages. If you can get the Avs between -185 and -200 on a line move, there is value. At -230 or heavier, pass and look at the puckline as an alternative with the +131 pricing. The under is also worth a look in the 6.5 range — both teams will play tighter after that first-game embarrassment, and Wedgewood is not going to give up 6 again against this competition.
Final Score Prediction: Colorado Avalanche 5, Minnesota Wild 3
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