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Colorado (2-1) at Minnesota (1-2)
- When: May 9 2026, 9:00 PM
- Where: Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul, MN, USA
- TV: TNT
Colorado vs Minnesota NHL Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Colorado -137
Spread: Colorado -1.5 (+190)
Total: 6.5
Colorado Avalanche Betting Breakdown
The Avalanche finally looked vulnerable for the first time this postseason after getting dominated 5-1 in Game 3, but experienced playoff teams rarely stay down for long.
Colorado still controls the series 2-1 and knows exactly where things went wrong Saturday night. The Avalanche were outworked early, struggled defensively, and failed to contain Minnesota’s physical pressure around the net. Special teams also became a major issue after Colorado surrendered two power-play goals.
Gabriel Landeskog admitted the Wild controlled the pace from the opening period, something Colorado simply cannot allow again. Expect a much sharper response Monday from a team that entered Game 3 undefeated in the playoffs.
The offense still remains extremely dangerous behind Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the Avalanche with 11 playoff points including five goals and six assists. Colorado continues generating scoring chances in bunches, and the top line remains capable of taking over games quickly.
Martin Necas and Devon Toews have also provided strong secondary production with seven playoff points each, giving Colorado offensive balance throughout the lineup.
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood is expected to return despite getting pulled in Game 3. Prior to Saturday, Wedgewood had been excellent throughout the postseason with a 6-1 record, 2.45 goals-against average, and .911 save percentage.
Colorado’s biggest adjustment entering Game 4 will likely center around discipline and defensive structure. If the Avalanche stay out of the penalty box and regain their transition speed, they still hold the edge in overall talent.
Minnesota Wild Betting Breakdown
The Wild finally found the exact formula they needed to slow down Colorado. Physical play, aggressive forechecking, and timely power-play execution completely changed the momentum of the series Saturday.
Ryan Hartman emphasized after the win that Minnesota intends to maintain that same aggressive style moving forward. The Wild clearly believe they can wear down Colorado physically over a long series.
The biggest story in Game 3 was the bounce-back performance from Jesper Wallstedt. After allowing eight goals in the series opener, Wallstedt responded brilliantly by stopping 35 of 36 shots. His strong play completely stabilized Minnesota defensively and gave the team confidence throughout the night.
Offensively, Kirill Kaprizov continues driving everything for the Wild. Kaprizov leads the team with 14 playoff points including four goals and 10 assists, while Matt Boldy has contributed seven goals during an excellent postseason run.
Minnesota could also receive a major boost if Joel Eriksson Ek returns from injury. Before missing the series, Eriksson Ek recorded five points and a plus-7 rating during the playoffs, adding valuable two-way play down the middle.
The challenge now becomes repeating that emotional Game 3 performance against a Colorado team expected to respond aggressively.
NHL Playoffs Betting Prediction
Game 3 proved Minnesota can absolutely compete in this series, but Colorado still feels like the more complete team entering Game 4. The Avalanche rarely lose consecutive playoff games under pressure, and their offensive depth should rebound after Saturday’s disappointing effort.
Minnesota’s physical style will keep this competitive again, especially at home, but Colorado’s experience and scoring talent give the Avalanche a slight advantage.
The total of 6.5 feels a bit high considering how important defensive structure becomes in swing games like this.
Score Prediction: Avalanche 4, Wild 2
Pick: Colorado ML (-137)
Total: Under 6.5 (-117)
- NHL Playoffs Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
