Colorado does it with defense, dropping Wild in Game 2

DENVER – As they depart the Rockies for the relatively flat Land of Lakes, the Minnesota Wild have a mountain to climb.

The Colorado Avalanche, known for their quick-strike offense, flipped the script in Game 2 on Tuesday at Ball Arena, using defense and goaltending to frustrate their guests. Colorado’s 5-2 win gives it a 2-0 lead in the series as the teams head to Minnesota for the next two meetings.

Game 3 will be Saturday at Grand Casino Arena, with the opening faceoff scheduled for 8 p.m. Central.

The Wild’s change of goalies didn’t provide the spark that they had hoped for, as Filip Gustavsson finished with 18 saves. The Avalanche scored on their first two shots of the game, as well as their first shot of the second period.

Kirill Kaprizov’s goal in the first period and Marcus Johansson’s in the third provided the only offense for Minnesota, as Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood had 29 saves.

The Avalanche are now 6-0 in the playoffs.

Colorado took an early lead, but the Wild needed just six seconds to respond when a Ryan Hartman pass sprung Kaprizov in alone from the blue line, and his wrist shot found the back of the net. It was Kaprizov’s third goal of the playoffs and his first of the series.

The Avalanche answered on their first power play of the game as Gabriel Landeskog was left open in front of the Wild net, leaving Gustavsson little chance to make a save.

Colorado made it 3-1 on the initial shot on goal of the middle frame on what looked like a routine shot that somehow beat Gustavsson on the blocker side.

Things got chippy in the third, and Colorado made it 4-1 on another power play before Johansson answered with his third goal of the playoffs.

Colorado added an empty-net goal with 4.4 seconds to play.