Gabriel Landeskog is warning the Avalanche against being 'naive' after the Minnesota Wild snapped Colorado's perfect playoff start Saturday. The captain's comments followed a physical Game 3 shift that saw the series lead narrow to 2-1.

On May 09, the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild played Game 3 of Round 2 of the NHL playoffs. The Wild delivered a physical and energetic performance to give the Avalanche their first playoff loss this season by 5-1. 

After the loss, Gabriel Landeskog talked about the pushback from the Wild. He said the team was anticipating this from the opposition. "This is what we expected, and if you didn't, I think you're a bit naive."

The Avalanche’s captain also praised Minnesota’s quality, saying Colorado expected a difficult and competitive playoff series throughout. “[They're] a good team for a reason, and it'll be a good series."

The NHL playoffs have always been physical and aggressive. Teams like the Wild naturally bring hard hits, pressure, and emotional intensity. 

The Wild increased their physical play, forechecking, and overall intensity to regain momentum. Landeskog sounded confident and battle-ready while discussing the situation.

In the playoffs, we can expect more hits, fights, and scrums, and the emotions are high. Teams use intimidation to come out well in the game. That’s why Gabriel Landeskog feels it is normal in playoff hockey. 

The Wild Cut Down the Avalanche’s Series Lead

The Minnesota Wild secured a convincing 5-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3. With this, they have cut down the Avalanche’s series lead to 2-1.

Colorado struggled to keep up with Minnesota’s speed and physical play early in the game. The Wild took advantage of defensive mistakes and power-play chances to build a two-goal lead in the first period.

They continued the good work, and the only goal scored by the Avalanche came from Nathan MacKinnon in the 2nd period at 13:11. Kaprizov was the star for the Wild with a goal and two assists. Hughes also scored a goal and had an assist in the game. 

Wallstedt made 35 saves in the game for the Wild. After the loss, the Colorado defenseman Cale Makar said the team played too defensively, allowing Minnesota too much space, and struggled to regain attacking momentum afterward.

“We were just sitting back. We were giving them a lot of space to move around, and in our defensive coverage, we can't really do that,” Makar said.

“So, it turns into long-tenured shifts in the D-zone. It's going to happen. We have to weather that. We weathered a lot of them, but we need to find ways to re-attack after that.”

Even with the heavy defeat, Landeskog remained calm about the situation. The Avalanche still holds the series lead, and the veteran captain believes the team can quickly regroup ahead of Game 4 on May 11.

So, what do you think awaits the Avalanche on May 11, a victory to take their lead further, or a defeat to compromise it even more?

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Souvik Roy