Jesper Wallstedt shines as Wild dominate in Game 3 win over Avalanche

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wallstedt-jesper/OjlzZAgi/"]Jesper Wallstedt[/a] was a star in net for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-wild/j9Ck7BHi/"]Wild[/a], posting 34 saves after he was benched for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gustavsson-filip/2ejXWAlG/"]Filip Gustavsson[/a] in Game 2. It was both the first time in these playoffs that the Avs lost and were held to fewer than two goals, despite outshooting the Wild 35-26.[/p][p]The Avs still lead the series 2-1 heading into Game 4 as history favors them. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colorado-avalanche/hACAnvBa/"]Colorado[/a] are 12-6 after leading 2-1 in a playoff series starting as the home team. Meanwhile, the Wild are 4-5 all-time when trailing 2-1 after starting as the away team.[/p][p]Game 4 between the Wild and Avalanche is scheduled for Monday, May 11th. [/p][h2]Recap & Highlights[/h2][p]It took 15 minutes to see the first goal of the game, but the Wild would score twice in less than two minutes apart to get out to a 2-0 lead. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kaprizov-kirill/dUVy6hct/"]Kirill Kaprizov[/a] scored his second goal of the series, fourth of the playoffs, to put the Wild on the board first, with an assist by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hughes-quinn/M1xKD9sj/"]Quinn Hughes[/a], before assisting on Hughes' goal that followed suit.[/b][/p][p][b]It marked Hughes' fourth goal of the playoffs as well - the most by a defenseman in Wild playoff history - after Avalanche goaltender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wedgewood-scott/lAPibPUq/"]Scott Wedgewood[/a] lost his stick.[/b][/p][embed guid="a68baddd-37f0-484f-95e9-bb8c4a7b87b1" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t50i-IYZLk" social-type="youtube" /][p]Kaprizov and Hughes now need two more multi-point games to tie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gaborik-marian/juq2JALD/"]Marian Gaborik[/a] (2003) for the most by a Wild player in franchise playoff history.[/p][p]The Avs went a total of 0-for-3 on the power play in the first period as both teams finished with 10 shots on goal each. [/p][p]Minnesota wouldn't take as long to get the scoring started in the second period, scoring in just under five minutes after returning to the ice. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hartman-ryan/hp1XmbfH/"]Ryan Hartman[/a] picked up his third goal of the season to make it [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/colorado-avalanche-hACAnvBa/minnesota-wild-j9Ck7BHi/?mid=UgExFHog"]3-0[/a], with assists from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zuccarello-mats/dUgUZg2M/"]Mats Zuccarello[/a], his second of the game and eighth of the playoffs, and another from Kaprizov. [/b][/p][embed guid="b8ad733f-6250-49c3-903c-33547b59ad17" url="https://x.com/NHL/status/2053298936429818228?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]With that second assist of the game, Kaprizov now has the most multi-assist playoff games (5) in Wild history, surpassing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/parise-zach/UJa7d9hH/"]Zach Parise[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koivu-mikko/AHVmhvHL/"]Mikko Koivu[/a]. Wedgewood was pulled after Hartman's goal, bringing in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blackwood-mackenzie/bkpjtpYE/"]Mackenzie Blackwood[/a] for the first time these playoffs. [/p][p][b]Colorado finally responded after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mackinnon-nathan/dhMyX3sE/"]Nathan MacKinnon[/a] found the net for the fifth time in these playoffs, capitalizing on the power play to cut the lead to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/colorado-avalanche-hACAnvBa/minnesota-wild-j9Ck7BHi/?mid=UgExFHog"]3-1[/a].[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/landeskog-gabriel/6ikuwFTl/"]Gabriel Landeskog[/a] (5) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kadri-nazem/SvDyIhqL/"]Nazem Kadri[/a] (4) were credited with the assists.[/p][p]But the Wild struck back just 20 seconds later to take a three-goal lead once more - making it the fastest time between two opposing goals these playoffs.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tarasenko-vladimir/rueg2rLg/"]Vladimir Tarasenko[/a] shot the puck off Blackwood's chest, which then bounced off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/faber-brock/Wf0jDNit/"]Brock Faber[/a] into the net, marking Faber's fourth goal of the playoffs. [/b][/p][embed guid="6b70a74f-93f9-4cd9-9f02-749fdbf41768" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfItkepPAPE" social-type="youtube" /][p]After being on the ice for almost four minutes straight, [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boldy-matthew/Uo8KxuyO/"]Matt Boldy[/a] scored his seventh goal of the playoffs with the empty-netter to make it [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/colorado-avalanche-hACAnvBa/minnesota-wild-j9Ck7BHi/?mid=UgExFHog"]5-1[/a], putting the final nail in the coffin. [/b][/p][p]Faber picked up the assist, joining Kaprizov in a three-point night for each player. [/p][p]The third period didn't see a single penalty for either side, as Minnesota finished 2-for-3 on the power play, and Colorado 1-for-3.[/p][embed guid="b40a9800-219e-4eb4-8304-b57c073df437" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k2Kkj-0vtk" social-type="youtube" /]