(Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports)
We can dwell on the Avalanche failing to finish the Wild off last night. We can talk about the Avs’ poor start to Game 6. We can moan about Zach Parise’s game-winning goal for the Wild that will take this series to Game 7 tomorrow night at the Pepsi Center.
If we are honest with ourselves, we should have known this was going to be a seven-game series going back to Game 4. The Wild and Avalanche have feed off from the home crowd in their first four respective home games, and that should have been a hint that this was going to go seven games.
It was hard to believe the Wild were losing their elimination game at home last night. They have been great at home all season, and they played well in Games 3 and 4 at the Xcel Energy Center. It couldn’t have been stunning they took a 5-2 victory over the Avalanche in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
The Avalanche gave it their all. They rebounded from a poor start to tie the game at 2 in the second period. They dictated most of the tempo for the final two periods of the game. They matched the Wild’s desperation overall. It’s hard to complain.
To say they had no killer instinct is wrong. They were able to pepper so many shots at Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper. They weren’t passive even when they were off to a bad start. We are not giving the Wild credit if we are complaining about the Avs’ lack of killer instinct.
The Wild are a good team than people give credit for. They could have won the series by now if they didn’t blow leads in Games 1 and 5. They outplayed the Avs in Games 3 and 4. They have gotten better as the series went on. It was telling how the Wild controlled the tempo at times in Game 6.
With the way the Wild played in this series, they could be a trendy pick to win Game 7. After all, folks will think a road team has to win a road game, which has not happened in this playoff series.
The Avalanche weren’t down about their performance and effort last night. They felt good enough about their performance that they feel this could help them in Game 7. They probably rationalized it wasn’t meant to be after Mikko Koivu’s shot bounce off Parise’s stick to help the Wild be in a position to score the game-winning goal.
The Avs have the right approach after last night’s game. This is no time for them to dwell on what could have been. This is about getting ready to play Game 7.
There’s so much going for the Avs heading to tomorrow’s game. They are at home, and they have played well at the Pepsi Center all year. They have Matt Duchene back after he played well in his first game back. They know they can count on Nathan MacKinnon to provide a one good moment in a decisive game.
None of this means anything when the game starts, but the Avs have to like their chances when all is said and done.
It’s been a great series. All six games have been great. It could have gone either way. This series could have gone another seven games after tomorrow night. It’s tough to see this series end.
Both teams have played entertaining hockey. That’s why hockey fans that have no rooting interest are excited about tomorrow. They can count on Game 7 being a good one.
There’s no question both teams will embrace this game. They worked hard all training camp to be ready for the magnitude of this game.
The Wild expected Game 7 prior to last night. The Avalanche had to know that game was going to happen even if they had good intentions of ending this series. Everything was set for this seven-game series.
From monitoring Avs fans on Twitter, they are ready for Game 7. They are not anticipating doom, and they shouldn’t with the Avalanche being good all year.
The Pepsi Center will be rocking. It’s going to be great to see Denver rocking for a hockey playoff game for the first time in a long time. It’s the way it should be.
Losing last night stunk, but it doesn’t have to be doom for the Avalanche.
It’s just one of those series where it is meant to go seven.
May the best team win.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter
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Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
